Bartholomeus G.H. Latten

After his master’s degree in Medicine at the Maastricht University in the Netherlands, dr. Bart Latten was trained in forensic medicine. Later, he combined his forensic activities with a specialization in surgical pathology at the Maastricht University Medical Center. During this time he started his research activities in the field of clinical autopsies and the use of post-mortem imaging, with ongoing endeavors. With a finished specialization in surgical pathology, he started training at the Netherlands Forensic Institute in the Hague where he now works in forensic pathology.

With a background in forensic medicine, he’s an active member of the science & education committee of the Dutch Forensic Medical Society (FMG). Amongst others, he is a member of the postmortem investigations working group of the Dutch Department of Justice & Security and the editorial board of the Dutch Journal of Forensic Medicine.

He’ll be representing the autopsy working group of the European Society of Pathology, where he’s been a member of since around it was founded a few years ago. The working group strives to promote the role of medical autopsy as a tool for quality assurance and patient safety in health care, to ensure the quality of cause of death statistics, to improve medical teaching and knowledge, and to guide clinicians in their support of the bereaved. Furthermore, they strive to raise awareness among the medical society, the authorities and the public about the role of the autopsy in evidence based medicine. Lastly, they want to improve the standing of autopsy pathology by focusing on quality, education and specialization, and through broad collaborations with other working groups, associations and societies in all fields of medicine. Currently the group is working on a position paper on the clinical autopsy practice.