Department Units:

The department has nine units, most of which are involved in providing clinical and academic services. The department has seven academic units, and eight clinical laboratory management units, all of which contribute to providing academic, diagnostic, clinical and research services within the general framework of the department, namely, Anatomic Pathology, Biochemistry, and Electron Microscope Unit, Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Clinical Microbiology Unit, Hematology Unit, Flow Cytometry Unit, Immunology Unit, Molecular Genetics Unit, Forensic Unit, and Cytogenetics Unit. The Department’s Diagnostic Laboratories have received the Canadian Accreditation and the College of American Pathology (CAP) Accreditation.

1.  Anatomic Pathology, Biochemistry, and Electron Microscope Unit:

The unit group includes faculty professors, associate professors, assistants and a trained technical staff. The faculty members and consultants in the unit contribute in teaching pathology courses to the undergraduate students at the Medical and Dental Colleges, training postgraduate students for the Fellowship in Pathology and the Saudi Board in Anatomic Pathology, training interns from different medical colleges in the Kingdom, and providing medical and advisory services in the clinic of micro-needle aspiration. The Unit's staff conducts many scientific researches in different fields of pathology which have been published in scientific journals. The average number of tests conducted annually in the laboratories of the University Hospitals were about 135,000 sample of histological samples, anatomical samples, and electron microscopy examinations.

2. Clinical Biochemistry Unit:

The Clinical Biochemistry Unit is prepared with the latest equipment and diagnostic techniques at the University Hospitals laboratories (King Khalid University Hospital and King Abdul Aziz University Hospital). The unit consists of several sub-units including the Routine Biochemistry Laboratory, Endocrinology Laboratory, Special Chemistry Laboratory, Toxins and Drugs Laboratory, and Genetic Metabolic Diseases Laboratory. The unit provides diagnostic services for patients' samples 24 hours a day. The average number of tests performed in clinical biochemistry laboratories in the University Hospitals is about 5.250.000 tests annually. The Unit also fulfills its academic responsibilities by teaching clinical biochemistry courses to male and female undergraduate students of the first and second year, training postgraduates for the Clinical Pathology fellowship, and training interns and laboratories graduates from the colleges of Applied Medical Sciences.

3. Clinical Microbiology Unit:

The unit includes many sub-laboratories such as the Laboratory of Bacteria, Laboratory of Viruses, Laboratory of Parasitology, Laboratory of Tuberculosis, and Laboratory of Molecular Biology. The Unit provides diagnostic and care services, and communicable and infectious diseases programs. The average number of diagnostic tests in the Unit's laboratories in the University Hospitals is about 730,000 tests annually. The unit provides research services, fulfills its academic responsibilities, train interns and students of Medicine and Dentistry. The unit also trains Pathology (in Medical Microbiology) and Clinical Pathology postgraduates for Fellowship.

4. Hematology Unit:

Blood laboratories in the University Hospitals are equipped with the most advanced equipment in order to be able to meet the needs of our patients. The lab has been fully computerized and equipped with various modern equipment that analyzes approximately 800 of comprehensive blood samples, and 250 coagulation samples along with many specialized tests done daily. It provides a full range of laboratory services with precision and speed on which many treatment decisions depend on.

The Clinical Hematology Unit meets the needs of patients with malignant and non-malignant blood diseases. Provides comprehensive diagnostic services as well as the continued follow up of these patients. It also aims to provide high quality care taking into account the personal needs of the patient. Specialized diagnostic services and treatment available within the unit include: emergencies, coagulation clinic, emergency laboratory, oncology clinic, and stem cell transplantation (in the Flow Cytometry Unit).

The unit participates in teaching medical students. Training interns, graduates of Applied Medical Sciences along with the training of doctors of the King Saud University fellowship program in blood diseases and blood transfusion. Key elements of this training include: Applied Theory academic seminars, in-depth research and skills development curricula.

The unit provides scientific research for students and resident to integrate Practical Research Experience with Basic Science Education and Clinical Patient Care. This is accomplished through educational lectures and careful supervision of research by experienced doctors and researchers. Residents are encouraged to present their research results in national research conferences and publish them in refereed scientific journals to enhance their experience and support their professional future.

Hematology Unit achievements: one of its faculty was one of the best teachers in College, the Unit's laboratories have received the College of American Pathology (CAP) Accreditation, the Canadian Accreditation, and its training laboratories were accredited by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA). Finally, the first Stem cell transplantation and validation was done in the Flow Cytometry Unit.

The future vision of the unit is to incorporate the latest laboratories tests in Hematology and Flow Cytometry Units. Update diagnostic devices and equipment. Improve quality of health care and facilities provided to patients by the Hematology Unit, and plan to get the Royal College of Canada accreditation.

5. Immunology Unit:

The Immunology Unit provides diagnostic services in clinical immunology since its establishment more than 30 years ago. The unit is currently supervised by a highly skilled technical staff and three faculty members, consisting of two professors and one associate professor in the field of immunology. The Unit provides several services, including diagnosis, education, training and research.

The Immunology Laboratory at King Khalid University Hospital is one of the best immunology laboratories in Saudi Arabia and offers high quality diagnostic services. King Khalid University Hospital and King Abdul Aziz University Hospital Immunology laboratories have received the College of American Pathology (CAP) Accreditation, the Canadian Accreditation. The unit provides specialized diagnostic services for many diseases of immunodeficiency diseases, autoimmune diseases, allergies, infectious diseases and tissue compatibility tests for organ transplants, which are referred to them from various clinics in and out of the University Hospitals. The number of tests conducted in the laboratory at King Khalid University Hospital has quadrupled in the last five years. The number of tests conducted per month is more than twelve thousand. The Immunology Unit continuously trains many interns and residents. Efforts are underway to introduce the latest immunological testing to remain on par with the performance of any well-known immunological laboratory. Efforts are continuing to achieve the process of upgrading the unit to make it a reference laboratory for immunization in the near future.

The faculty members of the Immunology Unit teach both undergraduates and postgraduate in the Medicine and Dentistry Colleges at King Saud University in Riyadh. The unit also participates in teaching immunology to fellows of the King Saud University Fellowship Program in Pathology specializing in medical microbiology. Research activities in the Immunology Unit continue to take center stage with seven original researches published between October and December 2016. The unit regularly receives students interested in research activities. The unit's research training focuses on skills development, various experimental techniques, data collection and analysis, and above all the art of writing in scientific English.

6. Flow Cytometry Unit:

This unit is a newly established unit that performs biopsy testing for the confirmation of a diagnosis of leukemia, lymphoma, and melanoma diseases in addition to various immunological tests. The average number of tests performed in the Flow Cytometry Laboratory is about 10,000 tests annually. The unit also provides academic and training services for undergraduates and for postgraduates of Pathology Fellowship Program (Clinical Pathology).

7. Forensic Medicine Unit:

The Forensic Unit became officially under Pathology Department in Muharram 1435 AH after it was an independent department at the time of the establishment of the College. The Unit teaches “321 FORM” course for third year students at the Faculty of Medicine and train postgraduates for the Fellowship in Pathology and the Saudi Board in Anatomic Pathology. The Unit also provides diagnostic examination services for the fetuses, placenta and non-criminal deaths, as well as providing counseling services to patients and various society institutions in the field of criminal identification and criminal offenses. The unit cooperates with the Saudi Pediatric Oncology Society to diagnose cases of childhood cancer and leukemia, as well as participates in research activities in the field of forensic pathology especially in the research of fetuses and placenta and the examination of non-criminal deaths. The unit also cooperates with all scientific, clinical, research and legal societies in the investigation of professional issues related to Forensic medical cases, ethics, medical errors and others.

8. Molecular Genetics Unit:

The unit provides genetic and molecular diagnostic services for various genetic and infectious diseases. It also teaches genetics courses to undergraduates in the Faculty of Medicine. It is also known for its distinctive researches that will form the hard core of the diagnostic process in the near future. The unit provides diagnostic services for patients' samples. The number of tests conducted by the unit at King Khalid University Hospital is about 1,000. Genetic testing of about 40 genes related to genetic disorders among Saudis has been conducted. A human genome study, a genetic mapping of human genes and a prenatal genetic examination are being prepared to identify genetic disorders such as chromosomal imbalances. The unit is currently developing and modernizing its devices and equipment in the laboratories in order to be compatible with the latest developments in this field.

9.  Cytogenetics Unit:

This unit provides specialized diagnostic services to detect chromosomal disorders of various genetic diseases. The average number of various examinations done annually in the University Hospitals are about 800.