USING
SCIENCE IN THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE
2004 International Symposium and Joint Meeting of Forensic Toxicologists
09/20/04
Forensic Toxicology?
You know, the science that grew out of murder by poisoning. In fact,
it was nearly 200 years ago that French scientist M.J.B. Orfila began
to systematically study poisons...and to isolate arsenic from autopsy
samples.
Today, of
course, forensic toxicology is a highly sophisticated science that
uses a range of scientific analyses to identify and quantitate foreign
substances in the body and the environment that can have a toxic or
behavior-altering effect...then takes those analyses to courts of law.
And today, advancing
toxicological techniques in the cause of justice is a product of the
international exchange of ideas and knowledge.
Which is what
the FBI Symposium on Forensic Toxicology and 2004 Joint Meeting of
the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) and The International
Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) was all about.
This year, for seven
days in August and September, over 900 students and professionals from
50 countries and every state of the Union attended the symposium (co
hosted by the FBI Lab and the National Institute of Justice) with the
theme "Global Partners for Justice and Health." Twelve workshops
featured over 65 international speakers.
What kind
of workshops? Things like:
- The
Toxicological Hazards of Clandestine Methamphetamine Synthesis
- Poisons
and Poisoners--What a Toxicologist Needs to Know
- Advanced
Mass Spectrometry Theory and Interpretation
- Drug-Facilitated
Sexual Assault
- New
and Unique Technologies--like solid phase microextraction, cryogenic
oven trapping, capillary electrophoresis and electrochromatography,
and (see if you can say this three times at top speed) electrochemiluminescence
immunoassays.
Plus, the
2004 Joint Meeting of SOFT and TIAFT had over 275 platform and poster
presentations on topics such as postmortem toxicology, behavioral toxicology,
forensic urine drug testing and adulteration, analytical methods, clinical
and environmental toxicology, and alternative matrices.
We encourage
you to find out more.
- The FBI
Lab site is crammed with information on its laboratory services,
everything from chemistry to trace evidence, and has a downloadable
Handbook of Forensic Services.
- The Society
of Forensic Toxicologists offers job listings, lab guidelines,
and subscriptions to its quarterly ToxTalk.
- The
International Association of Forensic Toxicologists features
an open net area for important resources and reference
blood levels for assisting in determining the effects of
therapeutic
and toxic
substance.
