Nancy Toffolo, M.S.
Academic Qualifications: Nancy Toffolo received her B.S. in Animal Sciences from the University of Florida in 1996. After working in research for a Life-Sciences mission for NASA, as well as for a private genomics company, she moved to the University of Florida Racing Laboratory where she worked as a Senior Chemist and Scientific Research Manager. During this time, she started her M.S. in Forensic Toxicology, which she completed in 2005. Nancy worked as a teaching assistant for the Forensic Science Program before moving into a Lecturer position in 2009 and in 2016 she was promoted to Senior Lecturer. Nancy is currently the Director of the Forensic Science Online Graduate program and is an Instructional Associate Professor.
Oliver Grundmann, Ph.D.
Academic Qualifications: Oliver Grundmann received a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and European pharmacist license from the University of Muenster, Germany, in 2004 and started his Ph.D. at the University of Florida shortly thereafter. While continuing his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, he worked for the Forensic Science program after graduating with a master’s degree in Forensic Toxicology and minor in Statistics. His research interests include the search for new treatment options from natural products for CNS diseases such as anxiety disorders and depression, as well as structural elucidation and mechanism of action of new drug entities derived from natural products and natural poisons. He also is interested in the implementation and impact of national and international collaborations for curricular development in the natural sciences. Currently, Dr. Grundmann is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and the Department of Adult and Elderly Nursing, College of Nursing at the University of Florida. He develops and teaches courses for the Distance Education program. In addition, he holds an adjunct assistant professor position with the Pharmaceutical Science department, College of Pharmacy at Midwestern University. Link to faculty website: http://plaza.ufl.edu/grundman/
Tate Yeatman, M.S.
Academic Qualifications: Tate Yeatman earned a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Central Florida in 1994 and a M.S. in Veterinary Medical Sciences with a concentration in Forensic Toxicology from the University of Florida in 2003. He is a Fellow of the American Board of Forensic Toxicologists and a Diplomate of the American Board of Criminalistics in the discipline of drug chemistry. He is also a certified technical assessor for the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) in the disciplines of toxicology and controlled substances. He has over 25 years of experience in forensic toxicology and 13 years of experience in Forensic Drug Chemistry and has testified as an expert in Forensic Toxicology and Forensic Drug Chemistry in over 200 DUI trials throughout Florida. He has worked as a teaching assistant and instructor for the Distance Education Programs since 2003. In 2022, he was promoted to Instructional Assistant Professor.
Joe Pasternak, M.S.
Academic Qualifications: Joe Pasternak received his B.S. in Biology from the Arizona State University in 2000. Joe got his start as a forensic serologist at the Phoenix Police Department Crime Laboratory where he worked for 3 ½ years. At the Montana Forensic Science Division he has performed forensic DNA Analysis for the past 16 years. In 2007 he started his M.S. in Forensic Science, which he completed in 2009. In 2013, he advanced to the position of DNA Supervisor / DNA Technical Leader and continues in this role. He has served as a Lead and Technical DNA Laboratory Assessor for the National Science Technology Center (NFSTC), participated in analysis of mitochondrial DNA for the identification of victims of the World Trade Center disaster, and presented to the scientific community on matters of current trends in forensic DNA analysis. Joe worked as a teaching assistant for the Forensic Science Program for 7 years before moving into an Instructional Assistant Professor position for the Distance Education Programs in Forensic Science in 2022.
Cortney MacDonald, M.S.
Academic Qualifications: Cortney MacDonald earned her B.S. in Biology from the Pennsylvania State University in 1998 and her M.S. in Forensic DNA and Serology from the University of Florida in 2005. After working briefly for a private Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, she was hired by the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences in 2001. Cortney was assigned to the Forensic Serology unit until 2017. During her tenure there, she processed physical evidence, testified over 65 times as an expert witness, and assisted in processing crime scenes. In 2017, Cortney was promoted to Supervisor of the Drug Chemistry Unit. In addition to her work as a Forensic Scientist, Cortney worked as a teaching assistant for the University of Florida Online Graduate Program from 2005 to 2022, at which time she was promoted to Instructional Assistant Professor within the department of Medicinal Chemistry in the UF College of Pharmacy.
Christine Schlenker, M.S.
Christine Schlenker earned a B.S. in Forensic Science, a B.S. in Biology, and a Minor in Chemistry from the University of New Haven in 2000. Upon graduation, she worked at The Bode Technology Group in Virginia. There she analyzed various types of DNA samples, as well as processing samples to identify victims of the World Trade Center disaster. She left Bode to start with the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences in the DNA Laboratory in 2002. As a DNA and Serology analyst, she has testified over 50 times in the state of New Jersey. In 2005 she started her M.S. in Forensic DNA and Serology at the University of Florida which she completed in 2006. She currently participates in validation projects, and analyzes and tech reviews current NJSP cases. She is actively involved in with Cold Case Units and performs case management, sample selection, and subsequent sample processing. Christine worked as a Teaching Assistant for the Spring 2022 semester before being promoted to an Instructional Assistant Professor beginning with the Summer 2022 semester.
David J Harrison, MD, DSc, FRCPath, FRCSEd, FRCPEd, IFCAP
Academic Qualifications: David Harrison is a medical pathologist who has practiced in a variety of areas including forensic, transplantation and molecular pathology. His research interests center around systems medicine, with his main interest in understanding how cells respond to injury. He directs iCAIRD which is one of five UK centres of excellence for AI research in digital diagnostics. He is a senior clinical pathologist in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is also professor of pathology at the University of St Andrews, Scotland’s oldest university (600 years and counting), with visiting professor roles at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Alex Graham, Ph.D.
Academic Qualifications: Alex Graham has taught on the University of Florida’s Forensic Science Distance Education Programs since 2003. Her first degree was in Natural Sciences (Pathology) and she completed her Ph.D. in molecular genetics, molecular biology and cell biology under the supervision of Professor Harrison. Her practical forensic experience comes from part-time consultancy with The Forensic Institute, a private consultancy firm, and she is a member of the Forensic Science Society. She worked in the University of Edinburgh’s Forensic Medicine section for 12 years, where she was a lecturer in forensic evidence analysis and co-ordinated the educational activities of the forensic medicine section, as well as being involved with a variety of research projects. In addition to teaching in the distance education program, she is also scientific adviser for a Scottish medical research charity.
James M. Madsen, MD, MPH, FCAP, COL, MC-FS, USA
Academic Qualifications: Dr. Madsen is an active-duty Army colonel and combat veteran and is board-certified in anatomic and clinical pathology as well as in occupational medicine. He has also received the coveted “A” proficiency designator from the Army Surgeon General for outstanding expertise above and beyond board certification. He has nearly two decades of experience in chemical casualty care (including four separate tours of duty at the Chemical Casualty Care Division at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, USAMRICD) and was the team physician for the first trial challenge inspection of Russian chemical-agent storage facilities under the Wyoming Memorandum of Understanding. In addition, he is Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics and Assistant Professor of Pathology and of Military and Emergency Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). He is currently pursuing an Army-sponsored civilian fellowship in medical toxicology at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA as well as helping to develop the Chemical Hazard Emergency Medical Management (CHEMM) module in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Library of Medicine.
Jennifer Giangrande, M.S., PMP
Academic Qualifications: Jennifer Giangrande earned her B.S. in Sports Medicine from High Point University in 2000, her B.A in Forensic Science from Guilford College in 2005 and her M.S. in Forensic DNA and Serology from the University of Florida in 2008. She has worked for a private DNA laboratory in North Carolina since 2006, eventually becoming Technical Leader of the Convicted Offender Databasing unit. After earning her Project Management Professional certification in 2020, Jennifer transitioned to the role of Project Director, overseeing numerous large-scale projects for a world-wide Diagnostics and Drug Development company. Jennifer has worked as a Teaching Assistant for the University of Florida Online Graduate Program since 2012, and in 2022 was promoted to Instructional Assistant Professor within the department of Medicinal Chemistry in the UF College of Pharmacy.
Leah Stuchal, Ph.D.
Dr. Stuchal is the co-director of the Risk Assessment Core at the Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology at the University of Florida. Dr. Stuchal received her Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry/aquatic toxicology at the University of Florida in 2005. For 17 years she has been providing technical support in toxicology and risk assessment to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Miami-Dade County, and the Florida Department of Health. The Risk Assessment Core at the Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology holds the singular contract for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to provide technical reviews of risk assessments for the State of Florida. The work performed by the Core helps determine the soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment cleanup standards for the State.
Anna Delaney, M.A.
Anna Delaney began her career with the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences in 2004. Over the years; Anna has worked in the Mitochondrial DNA Lab, CODIS DNA Lab and has supervised the Forensic Anthropology Unit since 2017. Anna specializes in human osteology, odontology, non-human comparisons, skeletal trauma analysis, excavations and exhumations. She provides training to Law Enforcement Agencies throughout New Jersey and is a guest lecturer at several Universities. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida’s Distance Learning Program. Anna is currently enrolled at Oklahoma State University pursuing her Doctorate in Forensic Science. Anna also populates the NamUs database with information on New Jersey’s Unidentified and Missing Persons cases, modifies NCIC records for missing and unidentified and assists the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit with retrieval of medical and dental information. Anna works closely with Forensic Odontologists, Medical Examiner’s Offices and local, state and federal agencies. Recently, she has been working on the remains found at the Red Bank Battlefield, Fort Mercer, Gloucester County, New Jersey since June 2022.
Chris Vulpe, Ph.D.
Chris Vulpe, MD, Ph.D. is a Professor at the University of Florida, Gainesville in the Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology. Dr. Vulpe received his MD and Ph.D. from the University of California, San Francisco and completed his postdoctoral fellowship there as well. He was a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley from 1998-2015 in the Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology Department before moving to the University of Florida. His group uses functional, genomic, and genetic approaches to provide insight into mechanisms of toxicity of diverse environmental chemicals. Dr. Vulpe is an author on >140 papers in peer reviewed journals and books. He recently served on the National Academy of Sciences and Engineering (NASEM) special committee on new approach methods (NAMs) in toxicology which recently published its consensus report “Building Confidence in New Evidence Streams for Human Health Risk Assessment” as well as the EPA Transcriptomic Assessment Products (ETAP) Panel.
Program Staff
Amber (Roni) Militello