Laboratory of Forensic Medicine &Toxicology

The Laboratory of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology was established in 1946 (ΦΕΚ αρ. 94.21.4.1942) in order to promote teaching and research in the School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. At the same time, all these years the laboratory has provided its expert services to the judicial system of the country. Today, the laboratory has significantly grown and operates four distinct Units:
a) Forensic Medicine
b) Forensic & Clinical Toxicology
c) Forensic Genetics
d) Health care legislation and Medical Ethics
 

The main objectives of the Laboratory are:                                                                                                                                                                                                              

• to educate undergraduate students of the School of Medicine on Forensic Sciences (Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Forensic Genetics, Health care legislation and Medical Ethics)
• to promote research on the above scientific fields
• to train  doctors in the specialization of Forensic Medicine
• to train Forensic and Clinical Toxicologists
• to train doctors in the specialization of Occupational Medicine
• to provide expert services (autopsies, clinical forensic examinations, toxicological analyses, DNA analyses) to the judicial system of the country
• to provide services in the field of clinical toxicology and workplace drug testing
• to collaborate with research institutions or universities 

Research interests: 

Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Clinical Toxicology, Analytical Toxicology, Toxicity studies, Biomarkers of Toxicity (metabolomics), Legal medicine, Forensic genetics, Health care legislation and Medical Ethics

Main laboratory equipment: 

Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Liquid Chromatography- Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), Liquid Chromatography- High resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC -QTOF MS), Enzyme multiplied immunoassay analyzer EMIT) Real-time PCR SeqStudio genetic analyzer

Lab tests offered: 

Autopsies, Clinical forensic examinations, Postmortem toxicological analysis, Clinical Toxicological analysis and Therapeutic Drug monitoring for hospitals, Illegal drug testing for private and state bodies, Bioanalysis (drugs and endogenous compounds) in different biological materials, DNA paternity, maternity and relationship testing, Prenatal paternity testing (http://www.test-patrotitas.web.auth.gr )

Collaborations with Schools of AUTh: 

Departments of Pharmacy, Chemistry, Biology, Veterinary Medicine, Chemical Engineering, Law, Lab for the study of Medical Law and Bioethics

Collaborations with national University Schools: 

Department of Medicine (University of Athens), Department of Medicine (University of Ioannina), Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology (University of Thessaly), Department of Medicine (University of Alexandroupolis)

Collaborations with foreign University Schools: 

- Department of Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern / VIFM, - Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia - Department of Surgery & Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of London - Section for Forensic Genetics - Kinship and Identity, Oslo Universitetssykehus, Oslo, Norway - Department of Forensic Molecular Biology, Erasmus MC University, Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands. - Biocentre, University of Leicester, UK. - Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL), Maryland, USA. - Centre for Blood Research, Harvard Medicine School, Boston MA, USA. - Medical Toxicology Unit, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital Trust, London, UK. - Toxicology Centre of Antwerp, Belgium.