Committee Members

Agnieszka Chlopaś-Konowałek is a dedicated forensic toxicologist based in Wrocław, Lower Silesia, Poland. With a deep passion for the intersection of science and law, she specializes in analyzing biological samples to uncover the presence of toxic substances that can aid in criminal investigations. Her work plays a crucial role in providing scientific evidence that supports legal proceedings, ensuring that justice is served.

Dr. Chlopaś-Konowałek is an experienced professional in the field of forensic toxicology, utilizing advanced methods and techniques to detect and identify toxins, drugs, and poisons. She is currently based at the University of Wrocław, where she contributes her expertise as a valued member of the academic and scientific community. Her role involves research, teaching, and engaging in professional collaborations to advance the field of forensic toxicology.

Throughout her career, she has been committed to upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity and ensuring the precision of her analyses. Her work has contributed to numerous investigations and has garnered recognition within forensic and toxicological circles.

João Manuel R. S. Tavares graduated in Mechanical Engineering at the Universidade do Porto, Portugal in 1992. He also earned his M.Sc. degree and Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Universidade do Porto in 1995 and 2001, and attained his Habilitation in Mechanical Engineering in 2015 from the same University. He is a senior researcher at the Instituto de Ciência e Inovação em Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia Industrial (INEGI) and a Full Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering (DEMec) of the Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP). He has been the Head of DEMec since June 2023.

João Tavares is co-editor of more than 80 books, co-author of more than 50 book chapters, 650 articles in international and national journals and conferences, and 3 international and 3 national patents. He has been a committee member of several international and national journals and conferences, is co-founder and co-editor of the book series “Lecture Notes in Computational Vision and Biomechanics” published by Springer, founder and Editor-in-Chief of the journal “Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering: Imaging & Visualization” published by Taylor & Francis, Editor-in-Chief of the journal “Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering” published by Taylor & Francis, and co-founder and co-chair of the international conference series: International Symposium on Computational Modeling of Objects Presented in Images, ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Computational Vision and Medical Image Processing, International Conference on Computational and Experimental Biomedical Sciences and International Conference on Biodental Engineering. Additionally, he has been (co-)supervisor of several MSc and PhD theses and supervisor of several post-doc projects and has participated in many scientific projects both as a researcher and as scientific coordinator.

His main research areas include computational vision, medical imaging, biomechanics, biomedical engineering, and new product development.

Graduated in Engineering from the Military Academy of Agulhas Negras (AMAN) in 1994 and in Cartographic Engineering from the Military Institute of Engineering (IME) in 2001. A Federal Criminal Expert since 2007, he is the organizer and co-author of the book Fire Investigation in Buildings. He has extensive experience in criminal investigations of wildfires, environmental cases, and building fires. He served as lead expert in the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro fire (2018) and the UFMG Natural History Museum fire (2020) and participated in investigations of the Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station fire (2012) and Monte Santo Parish Church fire (2019).

Professor Kim Wolff is the Director of King’s Forensics and head of the Drug Control Centre at King’s College London, the UK’s only WADA-accredited lab for sports testing. Her research focuses on detecting drug biomarkers, and she played a key role in using Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin (CDT) to relicense high-risk drink-drivers. Awarded an MBE in 2016 for her work on drug-driving legislation, she continues to advise the UK Department for Transport. Professor Wolff has led anti-doping efforts at major sporting events, including the UEFA EUROs, Commonwealth Games, and Cycling World Championships.

Chris obtained his BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry with Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the University of Bristol in 2006 before gaining an MSc in Forensic Science and Engineering (2007) and a PhD (2011) from Cranfield Defence and Security, where he specialised in shock physics and terminal ballistics under the supervision of Dr Derek Allsop. He also has a post-graduate certificate in higher education (PGCHE) from the University of Kent, is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a professional member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Chris joined the University of Kent as a Lecturer in Forensic Science in 2011 before being promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2017 and then to his current role as Reader in Forensic Science in 2021. He is also the Director of Studies for the School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, driving the overall strategic direction and delivery of education within the school.

Madalina Petre began her long medical career in 2000 as a specialist in internal medicine and from 2010 also practiced as a gastroenterologist. Since 2013 she has been studying a variety of alternative medical therapies such as: essential oils, Bach remedies, hypnotherapy and meditation and in 2019 she became an Eden Energy Medicine certified practitioner. Since then she integrates all her medical knowledge as a combination of alternative and conventional medicine in her practice and since 2022 in a prolific online and offline educational activity under the name of preventive medicine.

Jae Youl Cho has completed his PhD at 2001 from University College London, UK and postdoctoral studies from Washington University School of Medicine, USA. He is the director of Research Institute of Biomolecule Control, supported by Korean government. He has published more than 596 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Ginseng Research (IF=6.8).

Tatiana Zdyb, Ph.D. completed a Doctorate in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, with a specialization in Health Promotion at the University of Western Ontario. She is a clinical psychologist registered with the College of Psychologist of Ontario in addition to being a chartered psychologist member of the British Psychological Society. She is an award-winning researcher and university professor. She is a serial entrepreneur, scientific advisor and scientist-practitioner who is committed to client-centered, evidence-based interventions aimed at mental health promotion.

Usha Sundralingam obtained her B.HONS in Pure Chemistry from University Science Malaysia (2007) and her M.Sc in Drug Delivery from University College London (2009). She began her research career at UCL and later pursued a PhD at Monash University Malaysia, focusing on transdermal drug delivery for breast cancer. She has held academic pMonash University Malaysiaositions at SEGi University and currently at Monash University Malaysia’s School of Pharmacy. Dr. Sundralingam’s research interests include nanocarriers for drug delivery, particularly for topical and transdermal applications, and natural products. Her recent paper, “Enhancing the Bioavailability of the Ellagitannin, Geraniin: Formulation, Characterization, and In Vivo Evaluation,” highlights her work in integrating natural compounds into advanced drug delivery systems. Her expertise in skin permeation and lipid formulations positions her as a significant contributor to the field of traditional medicine.