Forensic Toxicology

Code:

TA07002

Acronym:

TF

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Health Sciences

Instance: 2022/2023 - SP

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	http://moodle.up.pt/course/view.php?id=3646
Responsible unit:	Toxicology Laboratory
Course/CS Responsible:	MSc in Analytical, Clinical and Forensic Toxicology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
TACF	18	Official Curriculum	1	-	3	27	81

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

To give an update vision of Forensic Toxicology, adressing on post-mortem analysis to identify the cause of death, to support the behavioral alteration by psychoactive compounds, to monitor drugs of abuse in a forensic perspective, and to carry out epidemiological studies to evaluate the dynamic of the compounds illegally used and/or regulated.

Within the transversal skills, this course aims to contribute to the development of the following skills as learning outcomes:

• Cognitive Competencies: analytical, critical, reflective and creative thinking;
• Methodological Competences: time management and planning capacity;
• Social Competences: interpersonal communication and collaborative work.

 

Learning outcomes and competences

The student must acquire knowledge and skiils in a modern context of forensic toxicology, namely:

- To interpret toxicological analysis post-mortem to determine the cause of death,
- To recognize the importance of the behavioral toxicology,
- To apply onitoring of drugs of abuse in a forensic perspective
- To interpret a perspective of epidemiological studies assessing the dynamics of the compounds used unlawfully and / or regulated.

Working method

Presencial

Program

(i) Concept of Forensic Toxicology and modern ambit of application.

(ii) Investigation of a death by intoxication.
Registration of the story and conditions of death.
Selection of samples for analysis, and custody chain.
Toxicological analysis of the biological material.
Post-mortem redistribution metabolism.
Interpretation of the analytical results.

(iii) Validation of human performance analysis under the influence of alcohol, drugs of abuse, and other psychoactive compounds: the role of the Analytical Toxicology.

(iv) Screening of drugs of abuse consumption in special population groups.

(v) Dynamic of the use of psychoactive agents: importance in the behavioral studies, in accidental intoxications, and in their regulation.

(vi) Obtaining samples for analysis: human samples, samples collected in the scenario of death.

(vii) Reference to the principal groups of compounds involved in intoxications in the ambit of forensic toxicology. Relation among occupational, cultural, and regional aspects, and the compound responsible for the intoxications.

(viii) The role of the analytical toxicology in the unequivocal definition of the compound responsible for the intoxication

Mandatory literature

Dinis-Oliveira Ricardo Jorge 340; Toxicologia forense. ISBN: 978-989-693-045-5
James Stuart H. 340; Forensic science. ISBN: 0-8493-1246-9
Klaassen Curtis D. 340; Casarett and Doull99s toxicology. ISBN: 978-0-07-176923-5
Levine B; Principles of Forensic Toxicology, AACC Press, 2010. ISBN: 13: 978-1594250965

Teaching methods and learning activities

keywords

Health sciences > Pharmacological sciences > Toicology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	25,00
Exame	75,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	12,00
Estudo autónomo	54,00
Frequência das aulas	15,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

According to the evaluation regulation at the FFUP.

Calculation formula of final grade

 

Type of evaluation: Distributed evaluation with a final exam:

• Presentation of a group work (2 or 3 students per group), with tutorial support, on publications in the ambit of Clinical Toxicology (5/20 values)
• Final examination (15/20 values)

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students who for special reasons contemplated in the law are not evaluated in the distributed component may be so for the final exam . In these circumstances , the component of the written examination will be held along with the written exam and the work component will be evaluated after the presentation of the final laboratory exam date .

Classification improvement

According to the evaluation regulation at the FFUP.