Background / Research Interests

After completing a B.Pharm (Hons), Michael carried out his PhD on the design, synthesis and in-vivo (animal and human) evaluation of novel prodrugs of the anthelmintic mebendazole at the University of Sydney. He then worked for a year on a similar project for for Smith, Kline and French before taking a three-year post-doctoral position in the Rheumatology Department at North Shore Hospital researching the role of leukotrienes in rheumatoid arthritis. Then, after spending a year in the mass spectrometry unit at Macquarie University, Michael was appointed as lecturer in analytical and environmental chemistry at UTS in 1991.

Following the introduction of the forensic science course at UTS in 1994 Michael phased out his work in the environmental area and now applies his analytical chemistry skills to the forensic area, in particular the clandestine synthesis of illicit drugs and the detection of drugs, both licit and illicit, in biological fluids by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. He is an active researcher in both these areas, regularly appears in court as an expert witness and makes frequent contributions in his areas of expertise in the print and electronic media.

Michael is a member of the Pharmaceutical Sub-Committee of the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee, the executive of the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society, the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation. Michael is a Board Member and Treasurer of the charity Family Drug Support.

Publications