Rebekah Byrne, Forensic Scientist
Overview:
Rebekah has more than six years of experience working under quality systems in both clinical and analytical laboratory settings, including cGMP and ISO environments. Rebekah worked as a genetics scientist for Perkin Elmer for two years before joining Gateway Analytical. She has worked specifically in materials characterization for more than four years, with a focus on both pharmaceutical forensics and criminal forensics.
Specialized Areas:
While working for Perkin Elmer, Rebekah endeavored in not only genetic testing, but also in troubleshooting and optimizing DNA assays in clinical settings for newborn screening. She also gained experience with clean room protocol and validation of automated workstations.
When Rebekah came to the materials characterization industry, she acquired an interest in quality systems, method development and problem solving. She has worked very closely with many customers to provide a high quality, personalized service. She has helped develop professional courses for the pharmaceutical industry; additionally she has presented at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting.
Currently, in addition to working as a scientist at Gateway Analytical, Rebekah is an adjunct instructor for Duquesne University’s program for Forensic Science and Law.
Analytical Techniques:
- Automated workstations
- Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS)
- Microscopy
- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
- Raman spectroscopy
- HIAC liquid particle counters
- Molecular/DNA analysis
Education:
- B.S., Biology, Duquesne University
- M.S., Forensic Science and Law, Duquesne University
Professional Affiliations/Certifications:
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists (MAAFS)
- American Society of Trace Evidence Examiners (ASTEE)
- Parenteral Drug Association (PDA)