Professor Sunil Lakhani is an internationally recognised clinical and molecular pathologist. He has made significant and sustained contributions to health and medicine, with ongoing research into preinvasive breast cancer and its impact on breast-screening practices; the pathology of BRCA1/2 associated breast cancer; and in developing new therapeutic options for brain metastases, a disease with very poor outcomes. He has developed and implemented clinical practice guidelines including Cancer Australia ‘Management of lobular carcinoma in situ’ and The World Health Organisation Tumour Classification monographs. His work has helped to standardise diagnostic practices throughout the world with resultant impacts on clinical management.