NC criminal defense and parent attorneys and their investigators may register for the program using this link.
This five-hour live webinar on Nov. 19-20, 2020 will provide attorneys having little science training with the basics about the various forensic toxicology principles and techniques employed by forensic laboratories, contract labs, and probation officers around the country. We will cover basic pharmacology/toxicology, drug screening and monitoring tests frequently used in probation and DSS cases as well as instrumentation methods that may be used to confirm the results of screening tests.
Attendees will be provided with a clear foundation about these concepts and methodologies, their utilities and limitations, learn how to identify the key information in drug test reports from various labs, and will be challenged with interpreting hypothetic case examples. This training will aid in the understanding of the forensic evidence in cases involving suspected use of controlled substances.
Agenda:
Nov. 19, 2020
1:00-3:30 pm Drug behavior in the body and field drug testing (Dr. Andrew Ewens)
3:30-4:00 pm Q&A
Nov. 20, 2020
1:00-2:00 pm Laboratory drug testing – Validity, screening, confirmation, and quality assurance (Dr. Kiran Dhakal)
2:00-2:30 pm Drug test reports and case examples (Dr. Andrew Ewens)
2:30-3:00 pm Q&A
Speakers:
Kiran Dhakal, Ph.D., DABT
Ph.D. in Human Toxicology, post-doctoral training in neurotoxicity of organophosphate warfare agents, Board certified in Toxicological chemistry (NRCC) and Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT), clinical and forensic toxicology research experience using Mass Spectrometry, works as a part-time lab director and consultant for clinical and forensic toxicology labs. Experience in interpretation of toxicology laboratory results.
Andrew D. Ewens, Ph.D., DABT
Doctorate degree in pharmacology and board-certified in toxicology with 25 years of experience covering a broad range of areas within pharmacology and toxicology, 10 years of experience conducting research, 8 years working on legal cases, interpreting drug use, drug-induced impairment, and drug-induced cause of death, as well as providing drug testing services. Cases include murder/assault, cause of death, DUI/retrograde extrapolation, probation violation, post-conviction, personal injury, child custody, medical malpractice, and employment drug testing. Qualified as an expert to testify in North Carolina, Texas, Maryland, and Michigan. Conducting research based on previous legal cases, covering topics such as SFST/DRE evaluations, sources of mouth alcohol, false positive testing from CBD use, and source of the “alcohol” breath smell, developing a new drug detection device, as well as developing a treatment for athletes’ foot. Previous research includes developing an immunotherapy treatment for cancer that cures mice of lymphoma and breast cancer and developing a new technique for detecting chromosomal damage. Has worked as a contract toxicologist for 15 years with 5 federal agencies, including the National Toxicology Program, which is an joint interagency effort by the NIH, FDA, and CDC, three institutes within the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Library of Medicine, and National Cancer Institute) as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Environmental Protection Agency.
Volunteered with the Cary Community Emergency Response Team where he received training from the Raleigh Fire Department in Hazardous Materials response up to the level of HazMat Technician and taught classes on responses to terrorist attacks and hazmat response. Also volunteers with the Cary Citizens Assisting Police where he provided support for a DWI checkpoint and assisted in testing bomb detecting dogs for the Transportation Security Administration.