Colin Tristram

CEO, HistoCyte Laboratories Ltd, UK
Director, The Immunohistochemistry Network, UK

Bio:
Colin Tristram has over 25 years of experience in the development of in vitro diagnostic assays within tissue diagnostics, spanning antibody development through to the creation of robust quality control materials. He holds a degree in Medical Microbiology from Newcastle University (UK) and a Master’s degree in Cancer Biology.

His early research focused on HER2 biology, examining differences between internal and external receptor domains. This work led to the establishment of a panel of cell lines for HER2 assessment that remains in use today by UK NEQAS ICC & ISH. In addition Colin contributed to the development of monoclonal antibodies at Novocastra Laboratories, which became part of Vision BioSystems and subsequently Leica Biosystems. At Leica, he led innovation initiatives and the development of prognostic and companion diagnostic (CDx) projects.

Colin cofounded HistoCyte Laboratories, where he pioneered compact, tissuelike cell compositions for assay control materials. HistoCyte products are now used globally across multiple diagnostic applications; in 2025 alone, it is estimated that approximately threequarters of a million HER2 tests utilised HistoCyte HER2 controls. These materials have been rapidly adopted as reference standards for quality control, particularly in digital pathology and AIenabled workflows, where robustness and consistency are essential for measuring quality and reproducibility. HistoCyte was acquired by Atlas Antibodies in 2021, and Colin continues to lead its growth and expansion.

In 2021, he also cofounded The Immunohistochemistry Network with three fellow Biomedical Scientists, delivering free educational events each year to support improved understanding and quality of immunohistochemistry in diagnostic laboratories.

Last update on: 2026/03/09 14:39:31 UTC/GMT time.