Dr. Dilani Lokuhetty leads the WHO Classification of Tumours at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France. She oversees the planning, development, and production of the 6th edition of the WHO Classification of Tumours series—widely known as the “Blue Books.” This globally recognized classification system provides a common language for cancer diagnosis, research, and data collection, supporting collaboration among clinicians, pathologists, researchers, and health professionals worldwide.

In addition to her role with the Blue Books, Dr. Lokuhetty leads the International Collaboration for Cancer Classification and Research (IC3R), a consortium created by IARC with international partners to help translate new scientific discoveries into practical tools that improve cancer classification.

With more than three decades of experience in diagnostic pathology, research, and academia, Dr. Lokuhetty brings deep expertise to her work at IARC. She is an Emeritus Professor and formerly served as Senior Professor of Pathology, Consultant Histo/Cytopathologist, and Head of the Department of Pathology at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Her research spans breast, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal pathology; cervical and thyroid cytology; and the toxic effects of Ayurvedic and herbal medications. She has published widely, with over 2,000 citations to her name.

Dr. Lokuhetty has played a pivotal role in strengthening cancer care and screening in Sri Lanka. She helped develop the national cervical cancer screening programme, trained multiple cohorts of cytoscreeners, led the creation of national reporting guidelines, and authored a comprehensive cytology atlas. She has also contributed to national guidelines for breast cancer reporting, thyroid cytology, and breast immunoprognostic markers, and has served on national advisory panels for breast and gynaecological cancers. Her work in research, innovation, and professional leadership has been recognized at the national level.

Currently, Dr. Lokuhetty also serves as the Scientific Integrity Officer at IARC and contributes to several international cancer committees.