TIAFT sponsorship policy

Individuals and corporations are invited to assist TIAFT in sponsoring a range of activities including travel grants for members of developing countries to attend meetings and to visit mature laboratories, training activities of the board in developing countries, activities and awards for young scientists etc.
Please read the full TIAFT sponsorship policy document below.

Introduction

The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) was founded in London in 1963 and now represents some 1300 members in more than 90 countries.
Membership includes toxicologists engaged in government and private forensic toxicology laboratories, academics and medical practitioners practicing forensic toxicology activities throughout the world.

Its aim is to promote cooperation and coordination of effort among members around the world, to encourage research and the practice of forensic and analytical toxicology, to provide a forum for discussion and exchange of professional experiences and to promote education and training in forensic toxicology.

TIAFT maintains a website at http://www.tiaft.org.

Forensic Toxicology Disciplines

• Death investigations (coroner’s and medical examiner activities),
• Licit and illicit drug testing for workplace, criminal justice, correctional and military programs,
• Drug testing in drivers of motor vehicles,
• Drug and chemical testing for racing and sports anti-doping laboratories,
• Toxicology in clinical and emergency medicine, including drug-facilitated sexual assault.

Organization of TIAFT

TIAFT is governed by an executive board elected by the membership every three years at its annual meeting. The board consists of a President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer and three other members.

The TIAFT board meets at least annually and communicates regularly through e-mail.

TIAFT Activities

TIAFT holds an annual general meeting providing a forum for forensic toxicologists from around the world to meet and to present new developments and to discuss research and other interesting case-related findings. Each meeting has a trade display organized by the local host in association with the TIAFT board.

Locations of these meetings are rotated around the world. Over the last several years meetings have been held in Helsinki, Prague, Paris, Melbourne, Washington DC, Seoul, Ljubljana, Seattle, Martinique, Bonn, San Francisco and Hamamatsu.

The next meetings will be in Madeira (Portugal, 2013).

The TIAFT Bulletin is published at least twice a year and includes the latest association activities, details of future meetings and includes articles covering analytical developments, case reviews and other information of assistance to forensic toxicologists. The Bulletin is also available on the web and can be accessed on the “members only” section of the site.

The web site (http://www.tiaft.org) also includes past and current proceedings of meetings, past and current meeting details and a toxicological database of therapeutic, toxic and fatal concentrations, and details of the activities of various committees. This web site is updated regularly.

A mailing list is available to members who seek assistance on toxicological issues such as analytical conditions for an analysis and mass spectral information. TIAFT has a number of specialist activities that deliver a range of services to particular interest groups and to advance the activities of the discipline. These include:

• Young Scientists Committee (YSC)

  The role of the YSC is to encourage international collaboration among scientists less than 40 years of age. This includes holding annual symposia, providing three awards each to the value of USD 500 at each meeting for:

  1. The best oral presentation by a Young Scientist during the TIAFT conference,
  2. The best poster presentation by a Young Scientist during the TIAFT conference,
  3. The best scientific paper published in the literature during the previous year.

• Developing Countries Fund (DCF)

  The role of the DCF fund is to support the memberships of eligible toxicologists from developing countries by waiving the annual USD 50 membership fee. These members have access to the Bulletin, past proceedings, toxicology database, case reviews and have access to members through the mailing list on the TIAFT website.

  TIAFT also supports regional meetings in developing countries by paying some costs for eminent toxicologists from around the world to present their work. The association supported the first regional South American TIAFT meeting at La Plata, Argentina and the International Medicine and Forensic Sciences meeting in Cairo, Egypt. Both were well represented by regional delegates, most of whom have never had the opportunity to travel to a mainstream TIAFT meeting. TIAFT has also supported two other regional Latin American meetings.

  TIAFT has also awarded travel scholarships for toxicologists from developing countries to attend an annual TIAFT meeting. In recent years 3-6 awards have been given with a maximum value of USD 2,000 for airfare, registration and accommodation.

  The board would also like to encourage members from developing countries to spend some time at a recognized laboratory to assist with their training and development. Sponsorship to make this matter is encouraged.

• Income and Costs
  The Association's annual membership fee is USD 50, or equivalent in other currencies. This covers the costs of providing the Bulletin but few funds are available to cover other activities. Traditionally TIAFT has sought support of corporate sponsors for a range of specialist activities including the YSC awards and for DCF activities. Members give generously to the DCF fund.

  With rising operational costs, increased demand for DCF membership, requests to host regional meetings in developing countries and the prospect of increased web service fees (server host costs and web master costs) TIAFT is seeking to obtain corporate sponsorship to avoid significant increases in annual dues.

Sponsorships Available

TIAFT is seeking the support of persons or organizations for the following activities:

1. Developing Countries Fund (DCF) for memberships, fellowships (visits to laboratories in developed countries) and regional meetings;
2. Bulletin for publication and mailing expenses;
3. Annual meetings including exhibitions, social functions and symposiums.

The following sponsorship is available by way of annual costs.

Corporate sponsor -> US$ 10,000

Sponsor benefits

• One full page of advertisement per Bulletin (all editions in a year)
• Acknowledgment at all TIAFT-sponsored events including DCF activities and workshops in developing countries
• Acknowledgement on TIAFT web site with link to sponsor's web site

In addition the sponsor will receive a full list of delegate's names and contact details following each annual scientific meeting.

Other Sponsorship Opportunities

Advertising in Bulletin (multiple) -> US$ 2,000

Organizations are encouraged to advertise in the Bulletin. Cost is for one full page advertisement. Cost for advertisements other than for a full page should be referred to the Bulletin editor. Costs for other sizes or styles of advertisements can be obtained from the Bulletin Editor.

Sponsor of DCF travel scholarships (multiple) -> US$ 2,000

Organizations are encouraged to support toxicologists from developing countries to travel and attend the TIAFT annual scientific meetings. The travel scholarship supports the travel to the meeting, cost of registration fee, and accommodation.
The sponsor will be acknowledged in the congress program and on the web-site.

Sponsorship Inquiries

Please contact the President or President-elect if you wish to discuss any aspect of the sponsorship opportunities.

President
Professor Alain G. Verstraete
Laboratory of clinical Biology-Toxicology, Ghent University Hospital
De Pintelaan 185 - B-9000 Gent, Belgium
e-mail: alain.verstraete@ugent.be

President-elect
Chung, Hee-Sun, Ph.D
Director General, National Forensic Service,
331-1 Shinwol-dong, Yangcheon-Ku, Seoul, Korea
e-mail: hschung1024@gmail.com