Cutting-edge toxicology expertise at TIAFT 2025
At the end of November, Dr Natalia Andriguetti and Dr John Edwards represented AusHealth at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) in Auckland, New Zealand which is the first time this prestigious event has been held in Aotearoa.
Themed Toxicology at the Leading Edge, the conference brought together over 400 presentations and rapid-fire talks, showcasing advances in forensic and clinical toxicology across drug detection, novel psychoactive substances, postmortem interpretation, and analytical innovations. Hosted jointly by TIAFT and the Forensic and Clinical Toxicology Association (FACTA), the event highlighted how collaboration between scientists, researchers, and clinicians continues to drive the field forward.
Dr Natalia Andriguetti and Dr John Edwards had the opportunity to attend sessions ranging from emerging synthetic opioids and advanced LC-MS workflows, to real-time toxicosurveillance initiatives such as New Zealand’s Integrated Drug Early Advisory System (IDEAS) which is an innovative data platform designed to detect and respond to new drug threats. All valuable information that we can take away and use to inform our own practices, techniques going forward.
‘Conferences like TIAFT remind us how rapidly the field is evolving and the importance of staying connected to the global community,’ says Dr Natalia Andriguetti, adding that the event offered valuable insights to strengthen AusHealth’s forensic toxicology capability.
‘The TIAFT conference was an exceptional experience, not only for the depth and diversity of the scientific content, but also for the calibre of people it brought together,’ says Dr Natalia Andriguetti. ‘It was a privilege to exchange ideas with international experts, strengthen professional connections, and bring back insights that will directly enhance the quality and innovation of our toxicology services at AusHealth.’
Dr John Edwards reflects that ‘it was inspiring to see so many experts pushing the boundaries of detection and interpretation science and the level of innovation this year was exceptional.’
From the Māori-led opening ceremony to sessions on culturally informed toxicology and the future of drug monitoring, TIAFT 2025 blended scientific excellence with cultural exchange, reaffirming AusHealth’s commitment to being at the forefront of forensic toxicology and applied research when it comes to workplace testing.
Ensure your workplace drug and alcohol testing is guided by science and expertise delivered by AusHealth’s highly skilled toxicologists at the forefront of their field.