A new initiative to connect and empower early-career pathologists across Europe
Sakura Finetek Europe today announced the launch of the Sakura Pathology Network (SPN), a new European network bringing together early-career pathologists from across Europe.
The Network will officially launch during the European Congress of Pathology (ECP) 2026 in Stockholm and brings together a diverse group of Founding Members representing different countries, institutions and areas of expertise/interest. With ECP 2026 taking place under the theme “Innovation Driving Excellence in Pathology”, the launch provides a fitting setting for a network focused on the next generation of the profession.
SPN has been established as a community of practice where members can build relationships, exchange experiences and discuss shared challenges and developments in pathology. Pathologists play a critical role in cancer diagnosis and care, and the Network will provide opportunities for early-career pathologists to learn from one another and contribute their perspectives through webinars, discussions and educational initiatives.
"The future of pathology will be shaped by the people entering the profession today. Through the Sakura Pathology Network, we hope to create opportunities for early-career pathologists to connect and learn from one another. Equally important, we want to listen. Their experiences and perspectives help us better understand the evolving needs of pathology laboratories, enabling us to be a better partner to the profession and, ultimately, contribute to better cancer care."
Jaap Stuut
President, Sakura Finetek Europe
"The Sakura Pathology Network provides a valuable opportunity to connect early-career pathologists from different healthcare systems and professional backgrounds. Learning from peers across Europe can broaden our perspectives and help us better understand the challenges we share as a profession."
Alessandro Caputo
Assistant Professor, Pathology, University of Salerno, Italy
The launch of SPN builds on Sakura Finetek Europe’s engagement with the pathology community over the past several years. Through initiatives such as the Tissue Diagnostics (TDx) Summits and Advisory Boards, Sakura has brought together pathologists and other stakeholders across Europe to discuss challenges facing pathology and share perspectives on how the profession is evolving. SPN extends this approach by creating a dedicated network for early-career pathologists
As a company focused on the pre-analytical phase of tissue diagnostics, Sakura Finetek Europe sees SPN as an opportunity to listen to this community and better understand the priorities and challenges early-career pathologists encounter. These perspectives can help inform how Sakura contributes to the pathology community and approaches future innovation around the needs of laboratories and the professionals working within them.
Membership of SPN is by invitation and has been designed to encourage active participation. Over the coming two years, members will contribute to webinars, educational activities, thought leadership initiatives and discussions on topics relevant to pathology across Europe.
About Sakura Finetek Europe:
Sakura Finetek Europe is a leading provider of integrated solutions for anatomic pathology and the European headquarters of the global Sakura organisation. With a heritage of precision dating back to 1887 and as the original manufacturer of Tissue-Tek® technology, Sakura has shaped many of the firsts that define the modern pathology lab, from the first fully enclosed tissue processor to the first automated embedder and microtome.
The Sakura portfolio of instruments, reagents and consumables connects across the full pathology workflow. Through SMART Automation, these systems reduce manual steps and variation, delivering faster, more reproducible results while giving skilled laboratory staff more time for the work that matters most.
Established in 1994 and headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, Sakura Finetek Europe supports pathology professionals in more than 140 countries, united with Sakura worldwide by one ambition: to be the first company to fully automate the pre-analytical phase of anatomic pathology.