Research Theses

The abstracts of theses produced by students are available on this site.

	Gender Differences in Child Sexual Abuse Characteristics		The first prospective study of gender differences in child sexual abuse charateristics, including the association between a history of CSA and long-term outcomes of psychiatric disorder and death resulting from suicide or overdose.
	Uptake of Benzodiazepines into Human Scalp Hair		A project of a series of studies which were aimed at better understanding the mechanisms of incorporation of benzodiazepines into hair.
	Applications of ION Chromatography in Forensic Toxicology		This thesis describes a series of studies aimed at developing ion chromatography methods for the detection of specific anions and cations of relevance to toxicology.
	Blood in the Oral Cavity and Breath Analysis		The project was to establish whether blood in the mouth falsely elevates the reading on the mandatory breath analysis. 2
	Deaths of Heroin Addicts Starting Methadone Maintenance		The primary objective of this study was to determine any possible differences in the disposition of methadone and the primary metabolite; 2-ethylidine-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (Met 1) in two populations.
	Incidence of Cannabinoids in Motor Vehicle Accidents		Each year many drivers are killed in Victoria as a result of motor vehicle accidents. Marijuana affects driving skills in a similar way to alcohol (Moskowitz 1985). The role of cannabinoids in these fatalities was investigated in this project.
	Toxicological Interpretation of Heroin-related Deaths		This thesis describes a series of toxicological studies aimed at better understanding the role of morphine and its metabolites in a number of heroin-related deaths.
	Detection of Psychotropic Drugs in Human Scalp Hair		A study to determine whether, and to what extent, a wide range of antidepressant antipsychotic drugs are incorporated into human scalp hair
	Development of a Drug Sobriety Testing Protocol		The study aim was to establish appropriate tests which could be used to detect a drug impaired driver, and included a review of information on the enforcement rates of Australian state/territory DUI-drug detection procedures.
	Performance Decrement Analysis and Drugs in Driving		This project was designed to develop an analysis to assess the culpability of a driver, independently of the knowledge of drugs, and to use this analysis to show if alcohol, benzodiazepines, amphetamines/stimulants and cannabinoids are over-represented in accidents where the driver is deemed 'culpable.
	Toxicology of Atypical Antidepressants		A study of the extent to which atypical antidepressants, like fluoxetine and paroxetine, and antipsychotics, like risperidon, contribute to death in Victoria.
	The Involvement of b2-agonists in Asthma Deaths		This thesis describes a series studies which were aimed at understanding the presence and significance of b2-agonists in asthma deaths.
	Postmortem Distribution of Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors		The aim was to determine whether venlafaxine, fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine are redistributed after death, and if so, to provide insight into the mechanisms of postmortem redistribution
	Postmortem Drug Analyses of Human Bone Marrow		A study to review the viability of bone marrow as an alternative for postmortem specimens for analytical purposes.
	Postmortem Changes in Drug Concentration		Post-mortem changes in the concentration of thioridazine and amitriptyline were investigated to determine how these concentrations may affect the interpretation of results.
	Postmortem Artefacts Associated with Psychotropic Drugs		The stability (instability) was assessed of chlorpromazine, thioridazine and dothiepinthe in postmortem specimens.
	Postmortem Interval and Nitrobenzodiazepines Concentrations		This thesis describes a series of toxicological studies which were aimed at understanding the processes which change the concentration of nitrobenzodiazepines in postmortem specimens.
	Cannabis and Driving		This project has required the development of a reliable method for the detection of THC (the active constituent of cannabis) by GC/MS, a method that now has been validated and is part of the routine toxicological analyses offered by the V.I.F.M.