Scientific Services

Scientific Services of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine provides a forensic scientific support service for the forensic pathology and clinical forensic medicine divisions. The laboratories included within the division are Forensic Toxicology, Molecular Biology and Histology.

Forensic Toxicology

Forensic Toxicology is essentially applying the science of the detection of drugs and poisons in biological systems for medico-legal purposes.  This includes the analysis of blood and other specimens for alcohol, drugs of abuse, a large range of over-the-counter and prescription drugs in cases involving:

• car crashes
• industrial accidents
• suspected drug overdoses
• homicides and other suspicious deaths
• suspected suicides
• therapeutic drug monitoring in persons on critical medicines,
• other deaths in which drug use may be suspected, or requires to be eliminated

Forensic toxicology is also applied to cases of suspected drug impaired driving and drug facilitated sexual assault.  The laboratory also provides a specialist drug testing service for individuals, hospitals and other organizations, particularly for substances not readily handled by less specialised facilities.

Molecular Biology

Molecular Biology is essentially a laboratory providing DNA typing services for

• the identification of human remains, and
• cases requiring determination of parentage.

The laboratory also uses DNA techniques for the detection of viruses and is developing techniques to allow detection of genetic variations that predispose to sudden cardiac arrhythmias (prolonged QT syndrome), and potentially other genetic based diseases.

Histology

Histology involves processing tissue removed at autopsy into ultra-thin slices. This allows the pathologist to examine the tissue microscopically for any abnormal pathology or tissue injury.  The tissue sections are “stained” with a variety of specialist dyes to image cellular structures in the various organs and non parenchymal tissues of the body.

Other laboratory activities

Other activities within Scientific Services include a number of research activities focused on

• road safety, particularly the effect of alcohol and drugs on crash risk
• the use of multi-media to provide information and training into drug effects
• the interpretation of drugs in post-mortem and other specimens
• the use of alternative specimens to identify drug use, eg hair and saliva.

	Histology Section		The Histology section of the VIFM provides a full range of histological services to the forensic pathologists.
	Toxicology Section		The Toxicology Section of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine provides a range of drug testing services as well as providing expert opinions relating to drug toxicity.