Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis (8780.3)

Availability

• UC - Canberra, Bruce

  Year	Teaching Period	Convener		Mode of Delivery
  2020	Semester 2	DR   Tamsin   KELLY	(Ph: +61 2 62012590 )	ON-CAMPUS

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Unit Outlines

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• Semester 2, 2019, ON-CAMPUS, BRUCE (185500) - View
• Semester 2, 2018, ON-CAMPUS, BRUCE (182333) - View
• Semester 2, 2017, ON-CAMPUS, BRUCE (166205) - View
• Semester 2, 2016, ON-CAMPUS, BRUCE (151112) - View
• Semester 2, 2015, ON-CAMPUS, BRUCE (139216) - View

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Syllabus

This unit provides an introduction to toxicological assays, including presumptive and confirmation testing in a variety of biological matrices, and a comprehensive pharmacological and analytical review of some major drug classes include alcohol, drugs for the treatment of mood disorders (anti-psychotics and anti-depressants), anxiolytics and hypnotics (barbiturates and benzodiazepines), anesthetics, opioids, psychedelic drugs, amphetamine related compounds, cocaine, and cannabinoids. Other topics covered include the clandestine manufacture and profiling of illicit drugs, drug-facilitated sexual assault, and drugs in sport.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Understand the basis of presumptive and confirmation testing, and compare and evaluate the use of a variety of biological matrices in toxicological analysis;

2. Discuss the pharmacological characteristics and analytical considerations of several major drugs classes commonly encountered in forensic toxicology;

3. Explain how pharmacokinetic/ pharmacodynamic parameters can be used to interpret toxicological findings;

4. Summarise the role of forensic toxicology in areas such as sports drug testing and drug-facilitated sexual assault cases;

5. Discuss the clandestine manufacture of illicit drugs and the profiling strategies implemented for different illicit drug classes; and

6. Collate, analyse, evaluate, interpret and present information from toxicological based analysis.

Assessment Items

Contact Hours

5 contact hours per week.

Prerequisites

Must have passed 8043 Analytical Chemistry and 8342 Introduction to Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Corequisites

None.

Assumed Knowledge

General understanding of pharmacology and toxicology (as covered in the pre-requisite unit).

Equivalent Units

None.