ABSTRACTS AND CV´s LECTURERS / CHAIRPERSONS Marc A. LeBeau PhD, F-ABFT VALIDATION OF ANALYTICAL METHODS IN FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY Validation is the process of performing a set of experiments that reliably estimates the efficacy, reliability, and reproducibility of an analytical method. The goal of conducting validation experiments is to establish evidence which demonstrates that a method is capable of successfully performing at the level of its intended use and to identify the method’s limitations under normal operating conditions. A survey of the literature finds there are numerous approaches used to demonstrate that a method is “valid”, yet they differ in their level of thoroughness. This suggests that some approaches are insufficient while others may be overly rigorous. In the United States, the Scientific Working Group for Forensic Toxicology (SWGTOX) has developed minimum standards of practice for the validation of analytical methods used in forensic toxicology. This session will present a brief discussion on the SWGTOX validation standards. This will include the topics of a) establishing a validation plan based on the intended use of the method, b) designing experiments for critical validation parameters (bias and precision, calibration model, interferences, limit of detection and limit of quantitation), c) how to efficiently conduct validation experiments, and d) knowing when revalidation is needed. Marc A. LeBeau PhD, is the Chief Scientist of the Scientific Analysis Section of the FBI Laboratory. He has worked as a Forensic Chemist and Toxicologist for the FBI since 1994 and has testified as an expert in federal, state, and county courts throughout the United States. From 2000 to 2011, Dr. LeBeau served as the Chemistry Unit Chief for the FBI Laboratory. He was employed in the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office in Missouri, before beginning his career with the FBI. Dr. LeBeau has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals, as well as book chapters and abstracts. He has provided training to thousands of law enforcement officers, forensic scientists, attorneys, medical professionals, and rape crisis counselors throughout the world. Additionally, in 2001, he co-edited Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault: A Forensic Handbook. As a Fellow of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT), Dr. LeBeau is active in numerous scientific organizations. He has been a member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) since 1995. From 2000-2010, he served as Chairperson of the Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault Committee and is the Past President of SOFT. Additionally, Dr. LeBeau serves as the Treasurer of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) and sits on the Systematic Toxicological Analysis Committee within TIAFT. 1 ABSTRACTS AND CV´s LECTURERS / CHAIRPERSONS He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and a member of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD). Dr. LeBeau is on the editorial board of a number of scientific journals including the Journal of Analytical Toxicology and Forensic Toxicology. He currently is an Assistant Editor for Forensic Science International and has served as Guest Editor to the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, the Journal of Chromatography B, Forensic Science International, and Forensic Science Review. In 2004, Dr. LeBeau won the FBI Director’s Award for Outstanding Scientific Advancement and in 2008 he was the recipient of the End Violence Against Women (EVAW) International Visionary Award. 2