Peter Maskell started his career as a Pharmacologist graduating with BSs (Hons) in Pharmacology from the University of Portsmouth in 1996. Following graduation, he worked at Wyeth Laboratories as Quality Control Analyst until starting a PhD investigating GABA- A receptors at Oxford Brookes University in 1997. He was awarded his PhD in 2001.Hispostgraduate research was followed by postdoctoral research as a KTP associate at Oxford Brookes University (in collaboration with Vernalis) and then the University of Birmingham. In 2005 he was appointed as a Pharmacology Teaching Fellow at the University of Bristol. In 2009 he became a Lecturer in Forensic Toxicology/ Reporting Forensic Toxicologist at the University of Dundee. As part of his remit, he was responsible for Quality Management of the forensic toxicology laboratory that provided toxicological analysis for the Central, Tayside and Fife regions of Scotland under contract from the Scottish Crown Office for unexplained death cases. In 2013 Dr Maskell moved to the University of Huddersfield to take up the position of Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Forensic Toxicology. In 2017 he moved to Abertay University in Dundee again as a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Forensic Toxicology. He returned to full time forensic casework in 2020 as a Senior Forensic Toxicologist/Deputy Quality Manager at Forensic Medicine and Science (University of Glasgow). Dr Maskell is an active member of Society of Forensic Toxicologists(SOFT);The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists(TIAFT), serving as the TIAFT UK representative since 2020 and being part of the organising committee for the 2019 Birmingham TIAFT conference; LTG, a UK wide analytical and forensic toxicology group (of which he has been a committee member since 2015, Vice Chair 2017-2019, Chair 2019-2021) and the United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists (UKIAFT) of which he organised the annual meeting in 2016 and co-wrote the UKIAFT Guidelines for Alcohol Calculations (Versions in 2020 and 2021). He is also a member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Scientists (CSOFS), a Chartered Scientist (CSci) and a Chartered Chemist (CChem). For his work in the analytical chemistry field he was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry(FRSC) in 2019. For his work in Higher Education in 2018 was awarded a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. Dr Maskell’s research is focussed on alcohol calculations, improving the objectivity in forensic toxicology interpretation and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). His research has resulted in the publication of over 40 scientific articles, and he has also presented at numerous National and International Forensic Toxicology Conferences. Dr Maskell has co-edited a book published by Wiley-Blackwell “Forensic Science Education and Training: A Tool-kit for Lecturers and Practitioner Trainers”. He is also a member of the editorial advisory board for “Clarkes Analysis of Drugs and Poisons”.
