Automated Sample Preparation – Some Catching-up to Do!

Automated Sample Preparation, Forensics, GERSTEL, London Toxicology Group, LTG, Metabolites, Oliver Lerch, UKIAFT,

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I was pleased to attend the joint London Toxicology Group/UKIAFT meeting on Friday 9th March 2018.  Forensics covers a broad range of areas such as drug analysis, firearms, finger prints and explosives testing. With the recent poisoning incident in Salisbury, forensic analysis is very much in the forefront of peoples’ thoughts, reminding everyone of the importance of the work done in this sector.

At the meeting, Oliver Lerch from GERSTEL gave an excellent presentation on Automation of Forensic Toxicology Sample Prep and Analysis Workflows.

I have attached a copy of the presentation here.

Oliver has been involved in forensic testing for many years and he has contributed to a number of papers. including the automated preparation of THC metabolites (THC-COOH and THC-OH) in hair, together with the Institute of Legal Medicine in Cologne.

From speaking with Oliver, it seems that, compared to the UK and Ireland, Germany is ahead of the game when it comes to the automation sample preparation in forensic analysis.

We are up for the challenge. Are you?

Anatune appointed Eleanor Miller as our Forensics Industry Specialist in late 2016.  Eleanor previously worked as a specialist forensic toxicologist and hair testing lab manager at ROAR Forensics and she is well regarded in the World of Forensic analysis.  Manual sample preparation was one of Elie’s bugbears. Many of the sample prep methods involve complex sample preparation and steps such as derivatisation, protein precipitation, and centrifugation all of which can now be fully automated as part of a single hyphenated sequence.  The savings in cost and work are significant and the data quality is better too.

There is no need to let German forensic labs make all of the running! To make a start on the automation of your sample preparation, please phone +44 (0)1223 279210 or email us now.

P.S. We are pleased to report to all that know her, that Eleanor Miller has just give birth to a bonny little boy.  Mother and baby are doing well!