Geraldine Dowling

Block B ATU Sligo

Accepting PhD Students

h-index

Research activity per year

Personal Profile

Biography and Research: See Orcid.org/0000-0001-8344-6582 (presenting 100+ academic works)

Google Scholar h-index =23 and citations 1621

Professor Geraldine M. Dowling PFHEA, SFHEA, PhD is a professional with over 20 years experience in forensic, analytical toxicology, food safety, drug residue testing, method validation, ISO17025 laboratory accreditation and more than 10 years experience in academia as an educator. She is an internationally recognised researcher. She is a Principal and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA, SFHEA), awarded for excellence in teaching/research/leadership within higher education reflecting extensive experience and significant contributions to improving educational practices, research, mentoring professionals and enhancing the overall quality of teaching and learning in academic settings and in industry. She is appointed as Visiting Professor of Forensic Science at Kingston Univeristy, London, UK.

She is the creator and host of The Analytical Zen Podcast, an educational series designed to make complex scientific concepts accessible to both students and the general public (available on Spotify etc).

Dr. Dowling has demonstrated valued academic achievement, earning a First Class Honours undergraduate degree, completing a Research Master’s with three peer-reviewed publications and attaining a doctoral degree with eight additional peer-reviewed papers. She has also been the recipient of numerous awards in recognition for the impacts of her work.

Dr. Dowling is currently elected Vice Chair (past Treasurer) of the United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists (body represents forensic toxicology professionals in England, Ireland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Channel Islands). She is the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists elected regional representative for Ireland, a member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists in America and elected member of the London Toxicology Group Committee. Dr Dowling is creator of the Global MOOC in Forensic Toxicology. She has extensive experience in working/training professional staff and students in ISO17025 accredited national government laboratories in Ireland, including The State Laboratory, Teagasc, The National Dairy Science Laboratory, The Irish Equine Centre and The Marine Institute. She is a Principal Investigator supervising postgraduate students (PhD/MSc). Her research interests focus on analytical chemistry, lab accreditation, forensic science, forensic/clinical toxicology, metabolomics, medicine, flavoromics, food safety and education pedagogies.

Dr. Dowling was invited to give her expertise to a Irish Government working group titled the “Emerging Drug Trends and Drug Checking Working Group.” This group developed a series of recommendations, including the implementation of harm-reduction and drug monitoring approaches at music festivals in Ireland initially through a “back of house” model where drug testing occurs on-site but away from public areas. The working group also produced a report that emphasized the benefits of communicating drug-related risk information to festival goers. This government-supported initiative aim was to introduce safer, more informed approaches at irish music festivals particularly through harm-reduction strategies rather than punitive or enforcement only methods.

Dr. Dowling is a contributing author, reviewer and editor across selected international journals eg Drug Testing and Analysis, Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Forensic Science Review, Journal of Forensic Research, Frontiers in Molecular Physiology etc. In addition, she has written, edited/co authored four books.

Dr. Dowling is the Editor-in-Chief of The Gazette, the official publication of the International Alliance of Clinical and Forensic Toxicologists (ISSN: 3088-6600), as well as the outgoing and past Editor-in-Chief of the Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal (ISSN: 2990-8167).

Dr Dowling is currently appointed as a Visiting Professor in Forensic Science at Kingston University, UK. She is a Visiting Senior Lecturer at King’s College London, UK and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Cameron Forensic Medical Sciences Unit, Queen Mary University of London, UK. Previously she was an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland and a visiting scholar in the Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Exact Sciences at the National University of La Plata, Argentina.

Her work has had a lasting impact on regulatory and research agencies nationally and globally. At the Marine Institute, her methods have been used since 2005 and are INAB-accredited for national monitoring and still inuse today. Her PhD research was adopted in an inter-laboratory study across thirteen European countries and one non-European country and recommended for integration into EU national veterinary drug laboratories during testing by European Community Reference Laboratory. The US FDA has implemented her methods for regulatory monitoring since 2011, and they continue to be used today in 2025. She was listed as a 2025 TrailblazHER^TM Excellence Awards Finalist due to her work contributions in STEM and education fields over the past 20 years.

Please see Linkedln profile for updates:

www.linkedin.com/in/geraldine-dowling-msc-pgdip-phd-sfhea-2b66b835

Professional Memberships

Professional Memberships

United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists (Vice Chair for Professional Body for Forensic Toxicologists in Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and The Channel Islands)

The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists ( Elected Irish Regional Representative for TIAFT)

Founding and Board Member of The International Alliance of Clinical and Forensic Toxicologists Charity

Society of Forensic Toxicologists

Society of Wildlife Forensic Science

Registered Teacher with the Teaching Council of Ireland

Certified Yoga and Meditation Teacher

Certified Pilates Instructor

Other

LTG (London Toxicology Group)

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academa (SFHEA)

Irish Department of Education Approved to Teach English as a Foreign (Second) Language

National & International Achievements

Selected Research Application Areas (see Orcid for more details)

Since 2006, Ireland’s Marine Institute has used Dr. Dowling’s methodology for aquaculture food safety monitoring
→See publication for basis of monitoring https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2006.08.045
Since 2011, the U.S. FDA has applied her research to monitor drugs
See publications for basis of the monitoring →https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2009.05.004 → https://doi.org/10.1080/19440041003706779

These monitoring methods continue to be implemented by laboratories in both countries as of 2025

Collaborative Leadership in ISO 17025 and Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) Accreditation of Methodologies for National Implementation Across 20 Years

Dr. Dowling has had alot of experience and success devoping/validating analytical methods according to ISO17025 standards and alternatives and preparing for Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB). This is the national body in Ireland with responsibility for the accreditation of laboratories, certification bodies and inspection bodies for testing. Some of Dr Dowlings methods are used in Ireland currently to test samples to ensure safety for the public
See selected projects below!

→Mixed Mode Solid Phase Extraction doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2010.11.043

→ Steroid Detection in Urine via UPLC-MS/MS-Accredited INAB

→Triphenylmethane Dyes Implementing ISO17025 and Accredited INAB https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2006.08.045

Public Health & Harm Reduction

Invited by the the government of Jersey crime lab on drug checking and accreditation to share expertise
Invited by the the Irish government’s working group on drug checking and harm reduction strategies at music festivals to share expertise on New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

As a result she helped shape safer practices towards improved risk communication for attendees through he early contributions
See Report: Emerging Drug Trends and Drug Checking Working Group, 2021 Report of the Emerging Drug Trends and Drug Checking Working Group 2021
Invited member of Ireland’s Early Warning and Emerging Trends (EWET) network, a national forum coordinated by the Department of Health in Ireland that monitors and responds to emerging drug-related risks, including novel psychoactive substances.

Leadership in Education Pedagogies (Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Community Based Learning (CBL) and Digital Transformation in Teaching and Learning

Active member of the UDL Working Group at Atlantic Technological University (ATU), contributing to policy, resource, and process development
Presented institutional UDL initiatives to an international expert panel; contributed to ATU winning the John Kelly Collaborative Award (2022)
Appointed national UDL facilitator, supporting inclusive teaching across higher and further education ehancing academic staff development accross thirteen institutions in Ireland
Current trainer with the National Forum for Teaching and Learning, delivering continuing professional development (CPD), training academic staff nationally- issuing evidence of CPD nationally in UDL, CBL, Online Teaching, and Entrpreneurship Education etc and support acdemic staff accross institututions in Ireland for enhance their continuing professional development

Educational Innovation

Institutional lead for integrating Forensic Toxicology and Clinical Toxicology research, New Psychoactive Substances into undergraduate teaching and establish connections with international crime agencies
Institutional lead for SUREbyts at ATU Sligo, integrating research into undergraduate teaching across Ireland through researcher videos etc
→ SUREbyts Project Team -SUREbyts Project Team – Sure Network
→ Author a SUREbyt Video - Author a SUREbyt Video – Sure Network
→ SUREbyts Digital Badges - SUREbyts Digital Badges – Sure Network

Co-authored highlighted education research papers:
SUREbyts: Presenting Early-Year Undergraduate Students with Videos on ResearchTopics.See →https://doi.org/10.18833/spur/7/1/1 and Community Based Learning-A primer. See doi:10.21427/D7F143
National Committee member of the SURE Network (Science Undergraduate Research Experience), focused on enhancing undergraduate research in the sciences accross institutions in Ireland
→ About the SURE Network - About – Sure Network
Editor-in-Chief (Past) of the Science Undergraduate Research Journal (ISSN 2990-8167) hosted by Technological University of Dublin
Editor-in-Chief of the International Alliance of Clinical and Forensic Toxicologists Gazette (ISSN 3088-6600)

Scholarly Publishing

Founded a new academic journal from scratch (IACFT Journal) focused on analytical science, toxicology and pedagogy, with an emphasis on supporting undergraduate and postgraduate teaching working with professionals (Community Based Learning) and UDL leading to 25 peer review articles accepted for publication with global partners
→ ISSN 3088-6600 () | International Alliance of Clinical and Forensic Toxicologists Gazette | The ISSN Portal
Book (2025) Emerging Applications of Targeted and Non-Targeted Metabolomics to Physiology and Pathophysiology ISSN 1664-8714 doi 10.3389/978-2-8325-6900-9
Book (2025): Current Trends in Targeted and Non-Targeted Metabolomics in Analytical Toxicology ISSN 1664-8714 doi: 10.3389/978-2-8325-5938-3
Book (2025): Novel Technologies applied to flavoromics and sensory evaluation of foods ISSN 1664-8714 doi:10.3389/978-2-8325-5938-3
Book Contribution: Book Involvement Analysis of Bitterness Compounds by Mass Spectrometry ISBN 9781118590294 doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118590263.ch8
See Orcid for full range of scholarly activities

Advancing Metabolmics Capacity

Establishing collaborative networks internationally to advance ATU in the field of forensic science, forensic toxicology, new psychoactive substances, metabolomics, analytical chemistry producing peer-reviewed publications and launched pilot clinical projects in collaboration with international industry partners.

Community Engagement

Founder of South Sligo Walking Club in collaboration with Sligo Sports Partnership 2025
Creator of Global Online MOOC in Forensic Toxiclogy 2025
Creator of Podcast Practitioner Perspectives Course 2025
Creator & Host – Analytical Zen Podcast 2024-2025
Founder of a podcast dedicated to analytical science, toxicology and teaching and learning. The series promotes accessible science communication globally and interdisciplinary dialogue and is used as a resource in both teaching and professional development of students and professionals
Available on Spotify, Amazon Music and other podcast platforms
Volunteer at Social Befriending Service for Older People in Ireland, Sligo Ireland, 2024-2025
Volunteer at English Classes for Refugee Partnership with ATU , Sligo Ireland, 2022- 2023
Creator Meditation Classes for Ukrainian Refugees Community Service, August 2022
Creator Mountain Biking Ukrainian Refugee Partnership in collaboration with Northwest Mountain Bike Club and Sligo Sports Partnership, Sligo Ireland, July 2022- December 2022
Creator and Leader of Volunteer Meditation Classes for University Students and Staff at ATU, Sligo Ireland, 2019
Volunteer (supporting attendees of music festivals to stay safe) with National Health Service Executive Social Inclusion Office, Dublin, Ireland, 2019

Other Academic Activity

Academic Governance

Dr. Geraldine Dowling is an elected member of the Academic Council at Atlantic Technological University (ATU). Academic Council is ATU’s statutory body responsible for academic governance, including setting academic standards, overseeing curricula, programme approval, student assessment policies, academic appeals and decision making at the university
The Academic Council supports its work through specialized committees and Dr. Dowling is an elected member of the Academic Standards and Policy Committee within Academic Council at ATU. The committee is involved in recommending policy regarding academic standards, regulations, curricula quality assessment, grading, quality assurance and policy development

Institutional Lead Wildlife Forensics

ATU institutional lead for implementing wildlife forensics into research and undergraduate/postgraduate teaching

→ See previous work working with wildlife conservation → doi: 10.4172/2157-7145.1000228 Merging Wildlife and Environmental Monitoring Approaches with Forensic Principles: Application of Unconventional and Non-Invasive Sampling in Eco- Pharmacovigilance

Advancing Wildlife Forensics: Bridging Analytical Science and Veterinary Pathology

During my tenure with national government laboratories in Ireland, I was involved in the application of liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to investigate suspected poisoning cases in wildlife crime, with a particular focus on birds of prey. This advanced analytical technique played a crucial role in detecting and confirming the presence of toxic substances, contributing valuable forensic evidence in support of enforcement and conservation efforts See here background information
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30407126.html and https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20022125.html
In parallel, I have worked to integrate veterinary pathology and wildlife forensic investigation into the teaching of forensic science, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in real-world casework

Advancing Interdisciplinary Education (Medicine, Pathology, Toxicology) Through Collaborative Undergraduate Research

Selected podcasts created by Dr Dowling PFHEA

Inside Synthetic Cathinones

The Analytical Zen Podcast

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380417/episodes/18266121