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The Analytical Zen Podcast
Unveiling the Science Behind the Mystery: Exploring Forensics, Toxicology, Medicine and Health (Mind, Body and Spirit)
Dr. Geraldine M. Dowling SFHEA is an accomplished professional with over 20 years' experience in forensic/analytical toxicology, food safety, drug residue testing, method validation, ISO17025 laboratory accreditation and more than 10 years' experience in academia as an educator. She is an accredited Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), awarded for excellence in teaching/research/leadership within higher education reflecting extensive experience and significant contributions to improving educational practices across disciplines.
She is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Exact Sciences, at the National University of La Plata, Argentina.
She is the creator and host of The Analytical Zen Podcast, an educational series designed to make complex scientific concepts accessible to both students and the general public (available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, etc).
Dr. Dowling is currently elected Vice Chair of the United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists (past Treasurer- representing forensic toxicology professionals in England, Ireland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Channel Islands). She is the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists elected regional representative for Ireland, a member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists in America and an elected member of the London Toxicology Group Committee. She has extensive experience in working/training professional staff and students in ISO17025 accredited national government laboratories in Ireland, including The State Laboratory, Teagasc, The National Dairy Science Laboratory, The Irish Equine Centre and The Marine Institute. She is a Principal Investigator supervising postgraduate students (PhD/MSc). Her research interests focus on analytical chemistry, lab accreditation, forensic science, forensic/clinical toxicology, metabolomics, medicine, flavoromics, food safety and education pedagogies.
Dr. Dowling is a contributing author, reviewer and editor across selected international journals including Drug Testing and Analysis, Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Forensic Science Review, Journal of Forensic Research, Frontiers in Molecular Physiology amongst others.
Dr. Dowling serves as current Editor-in-Chief of both the International Alliance of Clinical and Forensic Toxicologists Gazette (ISSN: 3088-6600) and the Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal (ISSN: 2990-8167). In addition, she has written, edited/co-authored four books.
The Analytical Zen Podcast
Cat and Mouse: How Toxicologists Chase Ever-Evolving Designer Drugs
In this compelling episode, Dr. Kayla Ellefsen—Deputy Chief Toxicologist at the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office in Austin, Texas, United States-offers a rare look into the science of forensic toxicology and its critical role in death investigations. She dismantles Hollywood myths about quick test results and flashy labs, revealing the meticulous process toxicologists follow to identify substances in postmortem samples and determine their role in a person's death.
The conversation takes a deeper turn into one of the most urgent challenges facing toxicologists today: Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS). These synthetic compounds are designed to imitate known illicit drugs while evading laws and standard detection methods. Dr. Ellefsen describes the evolving “cat-and-mouse” game between underground chemists and forensic labs, and how advanced tools like high-resolution mass spectrometry are crucial.
A particularly alarming trend she highlights is the rise of bromazolam, a designer benzodiazepine. Even more concerning is the emergence of “benzodope”—the deadly mix of benzodiazepines and synthetic opioids.
Dr. Ellefsen closes with a strong message: researchers must share data on NPS to build a clearer picture of the threat and support the development of harm reduction tools.
Whether you're curious about forensic science, concerned about public health, or trying to understand today’s shifting drug landscape, this episode delivers critical insight into a field on the front lines of modern substance misuse.