The Drug Control Centre (DCC) is an integral part of King’s Forensics with internationally recognised expertise in analytical science. Staff of the Centre publish regularly in eminent peer reviewed scientific journals and provide expert testimonials as required. The DCC has been located in purpose-built King’s College London premises at Waterloo, London since September 1999.
The Drug Control Centre achieved accreditation to the international quality standard, ISO/IEC 17025 (and predecessor standard, ISO Guide 25) by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) in 1997 and has maintained continuous accreditation to this date. Under the quality system required by ISO/IEC 17025: 2017 the personnel at the laboratory are carefully trained and certified in all their areas of work. Instruments and laboratory equipment are accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025: 2017 standard. This accreditation gives an independent third-party assurance that a high standard of quality control is maintained in relation to the procedures of the Centre.
The Centre is accredited to perform validation and testing of human biological matrices (mainly urine and blood samples) as well as vials and other artefacts for anabolic steroids and other controlled and illicit substances specifically for sports testing but also for forensic and clinical testing if appropriate. The Centre does not analyse supplements
The Centre is rigorously monitored by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the International Standards for Laboratories (ISL). The Centre has received continuous WADA accreditation since WADA was established in 1999 and prior to that by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The ISL specifies technical requirements for the journey of a sample through the laboratory from receipt to post-analysis storage. Reporting of analytical results must be meticulous and defensible. The ISL is designed to ensure that sports competitors do not evade detection by manipulation or falsification of their samples and to safeguard the production of valid test results. The Centre is unable to accept samples from the public or from individual Athletes on a private basis or from organisations representing individuals for sports testing purposes. Terms and conditions of service are always agreed in advance.
For customers that do not operate through UK Anti-Doping (UKAS), the Centre will be happy to accept samples directly from professional bodies, sports organisations, national anti-doping agencies, sports federations and associations who are compliant with the WADA code and recognised by the Olympic Federation and International Olympic Committee or the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF).
The Centre will also accept samples from the Police, Border Force (Home Office), Coroners, Pathologists, Solicitors, Doctors/Physicians, Investigative Journalists, GMC, GDC, Nursing & Midwifery Council, The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), General Osteopathic Council (GOsC), the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), local authorities, forensic providers, prisons, and hospitals to help with clinical, forensic, or investigative cases.
The Centre supports programmes of research that seek to improve the detection of the use of banned substances according to the WADA Prohibited List.
People
Principal Analyst in the Drug Control Centre
Senior Research Fellow
Laboratory Operations Manager
Principal Analyst
Lab Technician
LC-MS Lead Analyst
Projects
Detection steroid misuse using dried blood spots (DBS)
The use of DBS as a method for sample collection is highly promising, offering several advantages over existing methodology such as urine collection. DBS applied to anti-doping. Application of the technique to a range of analytes including rGH, rhGH, IGF-1, endogenous (testosterone and metabolites) and exogenous (stanozolol, metandienone) steroids.
Ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPSFC-MS) to detect banned substances
This study will explore the usefulness of UHPSFC-MS for the detection of performance-enhancing drugs.
Detection of abnormal human growth hormone (hGH) and related biomarker activity.
The anabolic actions of hGH are mostly mediated through insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), increasing total body protein turnover and muscle synthesis. IGF-I serves as a biological marker of hGH and hGH action on soft tissue collagen turnover, such as the N-terminal peptide of procollagen type III (P-III-NP). Goal to use proteomics as the basis for future hGH doping detection strategies. Ongoing projects include; Detection of Growth-Hormone-Releasing hormone (GHRH) metabolites and analogues. Investigation to detect GHRH metabolites or synthetic analogues as a means to identify doping with hGH, Determination of IGF-I and its synthetic analogues (Vincenzo Abbate, David Cowan). To investigate the detection of synthetic analogues such as LongR3-IGF-I, R3-IGF-I and Des1-3-IGF-I. Determination of P-III-NP in urine (Danielle Moncrieffe, PCC Fellow, Alan Brailsford, David Cowan). P-III-NP is used to detect hGH administration and is currently measured by immunoassays in the absence of international reference material. This study will demonstrate whether LC-MS/MS can be used to quantify P-III-NP in blood.
Publications
Activities
Leveling the Playing Field: Inside the World of Anti-Doping Research with Dr Shobha Ahi
Step into the fascinating world of anti-doping testing in international sports, where the Drug Control Centre takes centre stage, ensuring fairness and integrity in events like the Olympics and the Paralympics. But how does this all work? Let's take a thrilling journey from the athlete's participation in a sporting event to the publication of their test results! In this episode, our guest is the deputy director of the Drug Control Centre or DCC at King's Forensics, Dr Shobha Ahi. Dr Ahi has been working in analytical chemistry, forensic toxicology and anti-doping related research for close to 17 years.
From Microdosing to Designer Steroids: Uncovering how athletes cheat in the 21st century
When Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from professional cycling after he admitted in 2012 to using banned substances in his career, it sent shock-waves not just through the cycling fans but around the world. Dr Rodrigo Aguilera, Principal Analyst in the Drug Control Centre, details the methods competitors use to take performance enhancing drugs in the 21st century.
People
Principal Analyst in the Drug Control Centre
Senior Research Fellow
Laboratory Operations Manager
Principal Analyst
Lab Technician
LC-MS Lead Analyst
Projects
Detection steroid misuse using dried blood spots (DBS)
The use of DBS as a method for sample collection is highly promising, offering several advantages over existing methodology such as urine collection. DBS applied to anti-doping. Application of the technique to a range of analytes including rGH, rhGH, IGF-1, endogenous (testosterone and metabolites) and exogenous (stanozolol, metandienone) steroids.
Ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPSFC-MS) to detect banned substances
This study will explore the usefulness of UHPSFC-MS for the detection of performance-enhancing drugs.
Detection of abnormal human growth hormone (hGH) and related biomarker activity.
The anabolic actions of hGH are mostly mediated through insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), increasing total body protein turnover and muscle synthesis. IGF-I serves as a biological marker of hGH and hGH action on soft tissue collagen turnover, such as the N-terminal peptide of procollagen type III (P-III-NP). Goal to use proteomics as the basis for future hGH doping detection strategies. Ongoing projects include; Detection of Growth-Hormone-Releasing hormone (GHRH) metabolites and analogues. Investigation to detect GHRH metabolites or synthetic analogues as a means to identify doping with hGH, Determination of IGF-I and its synthetic analogues (Vincenzo Abbate, David Cowan). To investigate the detection of synthetic analogues such as LongR3-IGF-I, R3-IGF-I and Des1-3-IGF-I. Determination of P-III-NP in urine (Danielle Moncrieffe, PCC Fellow, Alan Brailsford, David Cowan). P-III-NP is used to detect hGH administration and is currently measured by immunoassays in the absence of international reference material. This study will demonstrate whether LC-MS/MS can be used to quantify P-III-NP in blood.
Publications
Activities
Leveling the Playing Field: Inside the World of Anti-Doping Research with Dr Shobha Ahi
Step into the fascinating world of anti-doping testing in international sports, where the Drug Control Centre takes centre stage, ensuring fairness and integrity in events like the Olympics and the Paralympics. But how does this all work? Let's take a thrilling journey from the athlete's participation in a sporting event to the publication of their test results! In this episode, our guest is the deputy director of the Drug Control Centre or DCC at King's Forensics, Dr Shobha Ahi. Dr Ahi has been working in analytical chemistry, forensic toxicology and anti-doping related research for close to 17 years.
From Microdosing to Designer Steroids: Uncovering how athletes cheat in the 21st century
When Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from professional cycling after he admitted in 2012 to using banned substances in his career, it sent shock-waves not just through the cycling fans but around the world. Dr Rodrigo Aguilera, Principal Analyst in the Drug Control Centre, details the methods competitors use to take performance enhancing drugs in the 21st century.