The 2023 PSC Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Ritu Nayar
Ritu Nayar is Professor of Pathology and Medical Education, Vice Chair of Pathology Education & Faculty Development and Director of Cytopathology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago.
Dr Nayar has been an active advocate, leader and educator in organized Pathology for over 30 years, having chaired a number of committees and endeavors for several national and international professional organizations. Her leadership roles include Trustee and President of the American Board of Pathology, President of the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC), Member of the Board of Directors of the International Academy of Cytology (IAC), Chair of the Cytopathology Education and Technology Consortium (CETC) and Chair of the Resident Physician Section of the ASCP.
Ritu has published extensively, both in the peer-reviewed journals and as editor/author for many books, including as Co-Editor of the Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology – which became the prototype for development and dissemination of many subsequent standardized reporting systems in cytopathology. She has continued collaborative work in cervical cancer prevention, serving as a steering committee member and co-author for the ASCCP 2019 Risk Based Consensus Clinical Management Guidelines and the ASCCP-CAP LAST Recommendations for Reporting Histopathology of HPV-related Squamous Lesions and as a member of the NCI Data Safety and Monitoring Board for the HPV vaccine. She served on the Steering Committee for American Cancer Society’s Primary HPV Screening Transition Initiative and chaired the Laboratory Workgroup; and co-chaired the ACS National Round Table Committee on Primary HPV Screening.
In recognition of her contributions to Pathology and Cytopathology, Dr Nayar has received the following awards: the Mexican Academy of Cytopathology’s inaugural, 2016 Patricia Alonso Award for Contributions to Women’s Health; the 2018 American Society of Cytopathology (ASC) Papanicolaou Award; the 2018 International Academy of Cytology (IAC) Goldblatt Award; and the 2019 College of American Pathologists (CAP) Lifetime Achievement Award. Ritu is enthusiastic about traveling the world with her husband, and enjoys cooking, working out and taking advantage of all that her hometown, downtown Chicago has to offer!
