(updated July 2024)

Established:
25 May 1964

Mission
The Society is a non-profit association supporting the development of diagnostics, research, and education in Neuropathology on a national level.

Website
Website: www.oegnp.at

Leadership
Chair: Romana Höftberger, Vienna
Secretary: Serge Weis, Linz
Treasurer: Johannes Haybäck, Zams/Tirol

Euro-CNS Councilors
Adelheid Wöhrer, Innsbruck
Johannes Hainfellner, Vienna

Members
27 (as of July 2024)

Main focus of majority of the members
Neuropathology (full time), Neuropathology (part time), Pathology with some aspects of Neuropathology, Neurology or Neurosurgery with some aspects of Neuropathology, and other

Status of neuropathology
In Austria, Neuropathology is a recognized independent clinical specialty under public law since 1994.

Austrian Neuropathologists are in charge of the following coordinating functions:
Austrian Reference Center for Human Prion Diseases
Austrian Brain Tumour Registry (ABTR)
Neurobiobank at the Medical University of Vienna
Interdisciplinary human medicine curriculum “Brain and the Nervous System” at the Medical University of Vienna
Interdisciplinary PhD program Clinical Neurosciences at the Medical University of Vienna

Neuropathology training
Since 2015, an integrated modular system has been implemented. Trainees have to pass first a 9 months period in basic clinical training. Subsequently, they undergo for 36 months a basic specialist training, which includes also the whole field of general pathology and molecular pathology. Afterwards, there is a 27 months period of focused specialist training in Neuropathology, which may also include a PhD training module. Candidates have to pass a two-parts specialist exam, which includes the whole field of pathology, molecular pathology, neuropathology, and clinical neurobiology. A specialist degree in “Clinical Pathology and Neuropathology” is awarded to successful candidates which allows unrestricted practice in the fields of clinical and molecular pathology, and neuropathology. The Austrian specialist degree is also recognized at the EU level.

Meetings
Austrian Neuropathology Society meetings take place once per year.
Topics: Neurooncology, Neuroinflammation, Neurodegeneration, Neurodevelopment, Muscle and Nerve, etc.

An important item of each meeting is the discussion of interesting and challenging cases (“The interesting case – Clinics and Neuropathology”). Clinicians (neurologists, neurosurgeons, oncologists, pediatricians, etc.) actively participate in these scientific case presentations and discussions.

In addition, neuropathologists regularly take part in the annual meetings of the Austrian Society or Neurooncology (SANO).

Interaction with other Societies and Organizations
At the national level, there is a close interaction with societies of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neurooncology, Clinical Pathology.

There are close interactions with sister societies of neighbouring countries.

Recently, joint meetings between the Austrian and Swiss Societies have been implemented, taking place every two years.

Members of the Austrian Society are elected members of international bodies, such as the International Society of Neuropathology (ISN) and the European Confederation of Neuropathological Societies (Euro-CNS).

In addition, Austrian neuropathologists are involved in the activities of international organizations such as the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), the European Society of Pathology (ESP), the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), etc.

Developments
Due to the advances in molecular pathology, laboratory diagnostics in Neuropathology becomes increasingly complex, and also more costly. This leads to centralization of high-end diagnostics.