I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Applied Chemistry and PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Hertfordshire (UK). I worked for the Thrombosis Research Institute and Trigen Ltd. (London, UK) as an organic chemist, designing and synthesising boron-based peptidomimetics for the treatment of thrombosis and haemophilia. I left organic chemistry to focus on analytical chemistry using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry laboratory at the Thrombosis and Haemostasis Department of St. Thomas’s hospital in London, UK to develop assays for the analysis of anticoagulants in neonates. I moved to Vancouver, Canada to work for a bioanalytical services department (Cantest) developing and validating assays under Good Laboratory Practices for several years before joining Maxxam Analytics’ Forensic Equine Drug Testing department as their manager. After working for a decade in the fascinating field of forensic chemistry in the horse racing world, I decided to join the Provincial Toxicology Centre to learn more about forensic toxicology in humans.