Science in Defense of Justice
The Aegis® Forensic Team
The Forensic Team includes five Ph.D. Scientists, (including two Board Certified Toxicologists) nine certifying scientists, and more than forty other Laboratory Team Members. Our Laboratory Team has extensive experience in chain of custody documentation, immunoassay, chromatography, spectrophotometry, and mass spectrometry sciences. All Team Members participate in continuing education programs and many are licensed and/or certified.
David L. Black, Ph.D., D-ABFT - President/CEO
Dr. David L. Black is an internationally recognized forensic toxicologist and founder of Aegis®. Currently, Dr. Black serves as a consultant to major organizations for development of substance abuse prevention and testing programs. Dr. Black has extensive experience as an expert witness in local, state, national and international court cases involving drug use and testing.
He earned his undergraduate degree from Loyola College in Baltimore and doctorate degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Maryland at Baltimore. Dr. Black is a diplomat of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (D-ABFT).
Timothy A. Robert, Ph.D., D-ABCC - Laboratory Director
Before joining Aegis® in 1996, he was the vice president of forensic toxicology at National Psychopharmacology Lab in Knoxville and the director of chemistry and toxicology at International Clinical Labs, Inc. in Nashville.
Dr. Robert is a member of the Society for Toxicology and the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. He has contributed to two published books, Methodology for Analytical Toxicology and Evaluations of Drug Interactions.
He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mi. He received his doctorate degree in biomedical science from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tenn. Dr. Robert is a diplomat of the American Board of Clinical Chemistry (D-ABCC).
Melinda Shelby, Ph.D. - Assistant Laboratory Director/Sports
Dr. Shelby is responsible for reviewing and interpreting test results, daily workflow management, team member management, analytical method development, validation, and troubleshooting of the Aegis Sports Testing Services Division. Previously, Shelby was a post-doctoral fellow and associate toxicologist at The Sports Medicine Research & Testing Lab in Salt Lake City, one of only two labs in the U.S. accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). She earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry from the University of Missouri in Kansas City and a Ph.D. in toxicology from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan.
Rebecca Heltsley, Ph.D. - Research Scientist
Dr. Heltsley conducts research in measurement science to enable Aegis to respond to the emerging needs in the forensic drug testing arena. She is responsible for the development, implementation and assessment of new technologies.
Prior to joining Aegis Sciences in 2007, Heltsley completed a National Research Council postdoctoral fellowship and served as a research chemist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Charleston, SC.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry, environmental science and biology and master’s degree in chemistry from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky and doctorate degree in environmental toxicology from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a member of the American Chemical Society and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Darcie Wallace-Duckworth, Ph.D. - Training
As assistant director of training, Dr. Darcie Wallace-Duckworth is responsible for team member orientation, training and continuing education. She is charged with developing and improving each team members understanding of forensic analytical toxicology and quantitative chemical analysis. Before joining Aegis Sciences, Wallace-Duckworth was a professor at Goucher College in Baltimore. She earned a doctor of arts degree in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University and a master’s degree in education from Goucher. Wallace-Duckworth is a member of the National Science Teachers Association and the American Chemical Society.
Anne Zichterman, Pharm. D., - Asstant Laboratory Director - Pain Management
Anne Zichterman, Pharm.D., has joined the Aegis Sciences Corporation as the Assistant Laboratory Director for pain management. Dr. Zichterman graduated from the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy and completed a residency in pharmacy practice at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. While at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Zichterman worked with the inpatient pain management team in the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. She gained experience in assisting with outpatient pain management at the clinic pharmacy in The Ohio State University Medical Center. She recently completed an advanced practice Pain Management Traineeship with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, Florida. Dr. Zichterman is a member of the American Society of Pain Educators.
Edward J. Cone, Ph.D. - Consulting Toxicologist
Edward J. Cone received his B.S. in chemistry from Mobile College in 1967. He earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1971 from the University of Alabama. From 1971 to 1972 he held a post-doctoral appointment in the Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky. In 1972, he joined the staff of the Addiction Research Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse, where he served as Chief of the Chemistry and Drug Metabolism Section until 1998. Dr. Cone was a Commissioned Officer in the United States Public Health Service and had the rank of Permanent Director Grade (CO-06). He was appointed as a member or the Research Officer's Group of the USPHS in 1989. From 1977 to 1985 he served as a member of the adjunct faculty in the Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky. Presently, he has an appointment as Visiting Professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Cone has maintained his academic association by training six candidates for their Ph.D. degree in Forensic Toxicology, by presenting lectures to medical, pharmacy, pharmacology, and toxicology students on the chemistry and pharmacology of drugs of abuse and by hosting graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting foreign fellows in his laboratory. Dr. Cone currently serves as a consultant to private industry on matters relating to drug testing, pharmacokinetics and drug delivery systems.
Yale H. Caplan. Ph.D., D-ABFT - Consulting Toxicologist
Dr. Yale H. Caplan received his Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy (1963) and Ph.D. degree in Medicinal Chemistry (1968) from the University of Maryland at Baltimore (School of Pharmacy). After a year as Research Associate and Supervisor in experimental toxicology at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Dr. Caplan came to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (State of Maryland) as an Assistant Toxicologist in 1969 and served as Chief Toxicologist and Scientific Director of the State of Maryland’s Alcohol Testing Program (1974-1991). He was Director of Toxicology and Forensic Toxicology for Quest Diagnostics, (National Center for Forensic Science) in Baltimore (1977-1999). Dr. Caplan is currently Director of National Scientific Services, Director of Laboratories for the State of Maryland, Division of Parole and Probation, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.
Dr. Caplan’s professional activities and awards include : President of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology of which he is a Diplomate; President of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (1987-1988), and recipient of the Academy’s Rolla N. Harger Award (1989) (forensic toxicology) and the Distinguished Fellow Award (1996); President of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (1981); Chairman (1991-1993) of the National Safety Council’s Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs and the recipient of the Council’s Robert F. Borkenstein Award (2000); Chairman of the Maryland Section of the American Chemical Society (1973) and recipient of the 1994 Maryland Chemist Award. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Forensic Sciences and the Journal of Analytical Toxicology and serves as an advisor to attorneys and government agencies regarding alcohol and drug testing issues.