Professor Nikolas P Lemos

Profile

Professor Lemos is a chartered forensic scientist who started his career in the field for analytical and forensic toxicology researching drug analysis in fingernails and other biological specimens. Lemos worked as Senior Lecturer at London South Bank University where he helped develop a new undergraduate course in forensic science. In 2001, he moved to St George’s University of London to be Head of the Forensic Toxicology Service of its Analytical Unit where he supervised the provision of toxicologic services to HM Coroners, Home Office Pathologists and Police Forces and co-supervised the research of numerous medical and graduate students who trained in the Analytical Unit.

In 2003, he became Chief Forensic Toxicologist and Director of the Forensic Laboratory Division at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the City and County of San Francisco in California, USA. Professor Lemos co-ordinated the efforts of forensic pathologists, toxicologists, investigators and scientists towards accreditations by the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) and the American Board of Forensic Toxicologists (ABFT). He also spearheaded the design of the forensic laboratory spaces of the new Medical Examiner’s facility in San Francisco.

Lemos has academic affiliations in San Francisco, St Louis, and Athens. He is actively engaged in various national and international professional organizations and is a Member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Scientists, Fellow of the American Board of Forensic Toxicologists, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. In 2018, Lemos was elected Chair of the Toxicology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Lemos consults and testifies in criminal and civil cases around the world. He has testified in over 325 cases and has offered opinions to assist the courts in response to subpoenas issued by both prosecutors as well as defence attorneys. He has organized and hosted numerous professional scientific meetings in the UK and USA including the 2011 Joint SOFT-TIAFT Meeting with over 1,500 participants from 60 countries.

He has co-authored over 85 peer-reviewed papers, abstracts, and book chapters including the first ever study of Cannabinoids in Fingernails (JAT, May 1999) and the first ever study of Cannabinoids in post mortem Toxicology (JAT, September 2011). He has previously served as Science Editor of Medicine, Science and the Law, the official journal of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences, and he is the holder of many scholarships, research and equipment grants and awards. In 2005 he was honoured with a Proclamation of Achievement by the 109th Congress of the United States of America “for dedicating his life and career to community safety and social awareness.”

Social Media

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Research

• Human Performance Forensic Toxicology
• Toxicology of Driving Under the Influence Cases
• Toxicology and Drug-Facilitated Crimes
• Hair, Nail and Other Keratinous Matrices in Forensic Toxicology
• Post mortem Forensic Toxicology
• Post mortem Redistribution and Post mortem Interval in Forensic Toxicology
• Pharmacology and Toxicology of Cannabis
• Analytical and Forensic Laboratory Accreditation
• Development and Validation of Analytical Methods in Forensic Toxicology
• Epidemiology of Drugs and Poisons

Publications

Collaborators

• Westminster Coroner
• Southwark Coroner
• Metropolitan Police
• City of London Police
• Natural History Museum
• St George’s, University of London

News

• Death of a barman who died on a private holiday island, BBC (2018)
• Death of Woman given Formaldehyde instead of Saline, CNN (2018)
• The Queer Story Files, A Queer Trace of Forensics (2017)
• Death of Amilcar Perez Lopez killed by SFPD officers, SF Examiner (2017)
• Death of Woman who died in Jail after Arrest for Traffic Violation, The New York Times (2015)
• Marijuana Use Linked to Deaths, Live Science (2014)
• LGBT Community Celebrates Supreme Court Rulings on Same-Sex Marriage, UCSF News (2013)
• San Francisco Firefighter hits Motorcyclist, ABC (2013)
• Post-mortem Toxicology of Whitney Houston, The Atlantic (2012)
  
• Date in jail for man drugging beer of his companion, SFGATE (2007)
• Sexual Assault, KQED Forum (2005)
• Death of David Dempsey, protégé of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, BBC (2003)
  
• Ramsay chef fell to death after drug and drink cocktail, The Telegraph (2003)
• Protégé of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay fell to his death after taking cocaine, The Guardian (2003)
• David Dempsey, head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant, died in bizarre drink and drug-fuelled rampage, The Scotsman (2003)
• Chef 'took drink and drug cocktail', Evening Standard (2003)
• How genetic fingerprints can catch criminals, Engineering News (2002)
  
• Computer thieves will be trapped by their DNA, The Independent (2001)

Teaching

Postgraduate Education:

• MSc Forensic Medical Sciences: Course Director, Curriculum Design; Academic Advisor, Lecturer; Workshop instructor; Legal and Ethical Issues in FMS Module Lead; Legal and Ethical Issues in FMS Module Lecturer; Clinical Forensic Medicine Module Lead; Clinical Forensic Medicine Module Lecturer; Forensic Pathology Module Leader; Forensic Human Identification Module Leader; Forensic Human Identification Lecturer; Forensic Toxicology Module Leader; Forensic Toxicology Lecturer; MSc Diseertation Project Supervisor
• PhD Supervisor: 50% of one PhD student with School of Law
• PhD Progression Panel member

External Education Activities:

• Visiting Professor: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - Dept of Forensic Pathology and Toxicology
• Visiting Professor: Università di Roma Tor Vergata - Dept of Forensic Pathology and Toxicology
• Visiting Professor: University of Turin - Dept of Chemistry