About the Peace Program

During the pandemic, our in-person educational offerings were moved to the virtual platform. This virtual shift allowed us to expand our reach by engaging a broader international audience. As a result, we had the opportunity to connect with excellent pathologists from across the world. These interactions provided the seed to set up PEACE (Partnership of Emory, Yale, and Africa for Cancer and Education) in collaboration with our pathology community contacts in various African institutions.   

Our team consists of five dedicated individuals: Four pathologists and one communications specialist.

LARA HARIK, MD, FCAP
Co-Director and founder of PEACE
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Emory University School of Medicine

Dr. Lara R. Harik is a surgical pathologist with over 14 years of experience. She specializes in Genitourinary and Gynecologic pathology. She is the Medical Director for the Clinical Pathology Hospital Service Line at Emory University Hospital, Emory University Orthopedics and Spine Hospital, and Emory Wesley Woods Hospital. She is also the Rotation Director of the Genitourinary Service. 

Dr. Harik is heavily involved in national and regional medical associations. She has received numerous teaching and educator awards. She is passionate about global health and education. Dr. Harik leads translational research projects on tumors of the prostate and urinary tract.  

While not at work, Dr. Harik enjoys spending time with her husband, two boys, and the family dog. They love to travel, sample various world cuisines and play soccer. 

UMA KRISHNAMURTI, MD
Co-Director and founder of PEACE
Professor of Pathology
Yale University

Dr. Uma Krishnamurti is a surgical pathologist with over 20 years of experience. In addition, she is a cytopathologist, and her main interests are in Breast, Gynecologic pathology, and Cytopathology. Previously a faculty at Emory University and the Director of Surgical Pathology at Grady Memorial Hospital, she is currently the Director of Breast pathology service at Yale University. 

Dr. Krishnamurti serves as a member of the Cancer Committee of the College of American Pathologists and has served as the Chair of the Research and Current Concepts Committee and is now a member of the ASC Bulletin and CytopathPod Editorial Board of the American Society of Cytopathology. She has taught courses in regional, national, and international meetings. She has received awards for teaching and service. Her translational research is related to breast and Human papillomavirus (HPV) driven cancers.  She firmly believes that sharing is caring! 

Dr. Krishnamurti enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, and teaching Sanskrit in her private time. 

VAIDEHI AVADHANI, MD
Associate Director of PEACE
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Emory University School of Medicine 

Dr. Vaidehi Avadhani is a surgical pathologist and her main interests are in Cytopathology and Gastrointestinal Pathology. Her primary clinical focus is centered around all aspects of gastrointestinal histopathology, including diagnosis of complex appendiceal, colon, stomach and pancreatic cancers. She is passionate about using cytopathology as a diagnostic tool since it has two essential qualities for clinical care: cost-effectiveness and rapid turn-around time. She also participates in the Fine needle aspiration clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital. She has received awards for leadership from the American society of Clinical Pathology and is an active in multiple committees serving regional and national pathology societies. She has also received departmental awards as an educator. 

RITU GUPTA, MD
Associate Director of PEACE
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Emory University School of Medicine 

Dr. Ritu Gupta is a surgical pathologist specializing in Medical Renal and Genitourinary pathology. She is passionate about education, being involved in resident, fellow, and medical student teaching, and is a member of the Anatomic Pathology Residency Education committee at Emory. She also has a strong interest in quality and process improvement in the laboratory.

Dr. Gupta is involved in institutional as well as regional and national general and subspecialty pathology organizations, including collaborating on educational content for PathPresenter.net. She collaborates with colleagues in clinical research endeavors and is currently developing her own translational research projects.

PATRICE WILLIAMS, MHA
Communications Manager
Emory University Department of Pathology

Patrice Williams is a Communications Professional with 10+ years’ experience developing professional, polished communication materials and strategy. Possessing a keen attention to detail and a passion for all-things communications-related, Patrice is an effective communicator with skill in forging solid working relationships with professionals at all levels. Born and raised in rural Mississippi, Patrice grew up in an environment where “everybody knows everybody” and where hospitality reigns supreme. As a result, Patrice takes pride in not just being a good, effective communicator, but also in spreading warmth and Southern hospitality in all work environments and beyond.

ADETOLA OLUBUNMI DARAMOLA, MD, FMCPATH(NIG)
Consultant Anatomic Pathologist
Anatomic and Molecular Pathology Department
Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences
College of Medicine, University of Lagos

Dr. Adetola Daramola is a Consultant Anatomic Pathologist  at the Lagos University Teaching  Hospital and a Professor of Anatomic Pathology at the College of Medicine University of Lagos.  Her research interest is in diseases that affect women, experimental pathology and genetics. In the past 10 years her research focus has been on breast cancer because of its aggressiveness in women of African ancestry. She is also the Deputy Director of the Medical Education Unit at the College  of Medicine University of Lagos.

YAWALE ILIYASU, MD
Professor of Anatomic Pathology
College of Medicine, Kaduna State University, Nigeria
Chief Consultant, Anatomic Pathology, Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital

Dr. Yawale Iliyasu has been a qualified Surgical Pathologist since 1994. He is a Professor of Anatomic Pathology at the College of Medicine, Kaduna State University, Nigeria and Chief Consultant Anatomic Pathologist at the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital also in Kaduna.

Dr. Iliyasu is the Vice President of the International Academy of Pathology and immediate Past President of the West African Division of the IAP and the International College of Surgeons, Nigerian Section. He is the Principal Investigator (West Africa) of the Sub-Saharan Africa Lymphoma Consortium established by the NCI USA in 2010. He is also a Founding Father & Foundation Fellow of the College of Pathologists of East, Central & Southern Africa (COPECSA).

Dr. Iliyasu is also a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army where he served for 25 years as the Chief Consultant Anatomic Pathologist to the Nigerian Army. He has received many local and international awards and his main area of interest is lymphomas.

Dr. Iliyasu is married and blessed with four children and loves reading, traveling and spending quality time with his family.

FRED MAATE, MBCHB, MMED PATHOLOGY
Lecturer of Pathology
University of Zambia School of Medicine

Dr. Maate is a surgical pathologist trained at the University of Zambia with over two years of post-qualification experience. He teaches pathology to undergraduate medical students, students of the Master of Medicine in Pathology (Clinical Pathology), and students of the Master of Medicine in Anatomical Pathology at the University of Zambia School of Medicine. While he is currently a general surgical pathologist, he has a special interest in gynecologic pathology. His research collaborations are in ocular surface neoplasms and gynecologic malignancies.

Dr. Maate is the treasurer of the Pathologists Association of Zambia and he is a member of the Zambia Medical Association.

Dr. Maate enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons and daughter. While not at work or home, Dr. Maate is an athlete who spends time doing solo and group runs including participating in marathons. He also spends time singing in a men's group Breath of Truth.

J. OLUFEMI OGUNBIYI, MBBS
Professor, Department of Pathology,
Director, Ibadan Cancer Registry,
College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

• Dr. Ogunbiyi's clinical focus is in both Autopsy an Surgical Pathology with major emphasis on Lung, Liver and Prostate Pathology, which he signs out at the University College Hospital. These, apart from Gastrointestinal Pathology cases, General Surgical Pathology cases, and both gynecological and non-gynecologic cytology.
• Research Interests: Lung, Liver/Gastrointestinal, and Prostate Pathology
• Selected Awards/Honours:
  • International Fellow, College of American Pathologists
  • Fellow, College of Pathologists of East, Central and South Africa
  • Foundation Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Medicine (2020)
  • Foundation Fellow, Academy of Medicine Specialties, Nigeria (2021)
  • Selected National/International Service:
  • Foundation President, West African Division of the International Academy of Pathology (AWADIAP)