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Sarah Riley, Ph.D., DABCC (CC, TC), F-ABFT

Professor, Division of Forensic Pathology
Department of Pathology

Director
SLUCare Forensic Toxicology Laboratory

Education

Fellowship
Clinical chemistry, Washington University School of Medicine

Doctor of Philosophy
Biochemistry and molecular biology, Saint Louis University

Bachelor of Science
Chemistry, University of South Carolina

Practice Areas

  • Clinical chemistry
  • Clinical toxicology
  • Forensic toxicology

Research

Research Interests

  • Toxicology
  • Drug surveillance
  • Harm reduction
  • Lab medicine in global health

Publications

Journal Articles

  • Tesfazghi MT, Bardelmeier R, Saunders AN, Riley SM, Roper SM, Dietzen DJ. Development and Implementation of One-Step, Broad-Spectrum, High-Sensitivity Drug Screening by Tandem Mass Spectrometry in a Pediatric Population. J Appl Lab Med. 2022 Mar 2;7(2):409-420. doi: 10.1093/jalm/jfab157. PMID: 34999832.
  • Riley SB, Garbutt K, Crow C, Isbell TS, Scalzo AJ. Gabapentin prevalence: clinical and forensic experience in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Forensic Sci Res. 2021 Nov 19;6(3):218-223. doi: 10.1080/20961790.2021.1991075. PMID: 34868714; PMCID: PMC8635626.
  • Du EY, Nellore A, Pfeifer C, Norfleet G, Scalzo A, Riley SB. Dying to be with yew. Toxicol Commun 2021;5(1):109-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/24734306.2021.1918898
  • Khan M, Vartanyan A, Scalzo A, Riley S, Cain J, Maliakkal J. Propylene glycol neurotoxicity due to sodium citrate therapy in an infant with renal tubular acidosis. Clin Nephrol Case Stud. 2020 May 8;8:33-36. doi: 10.5414/CNCS109984. PMID: 32399387; PMCID: PMC7216462.
  • Riley SB, Sochat M, Moser K, Lynch KL, Tochtrop R, Isbell TS, Scalzo A. Case of brodifacoum-contaminated synthetic cannabinoid. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2019 Feb;57(2):143-144. doi: 10.1080/15563650.2018.1502444. Epub 2018 Aug 27. PMID: 30148410.
  • DeMarco ML, Dietzen DJ, Brown SM. Sweating the small stuff: adequacy and accuracy in sweat chloride determination. Clin Biochem. 2015 Apr;48(6):443-7. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2014.12.011. Epub 2014 Dec 18. PMID: 25530017.
  • Li F, Guo CJ, Huang CC, Yu G, Brown SM, Xu S, Liu Q. Transient receptor potential A1 activation prolongs isoflurane induction latency and impairs respiratory function in mice. Anesthesiology. 2015 Apr;122(4):768-75. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000000607. PMID: 25646842.
  • Mitsios JV, McClellan A, Brown S, Gronowski AM. Human chorionic gonadotropin and α-fetoprotein in cerebral spinal fluid: method validation and retrospective review. Clin Biochem. 2014 May;47(7-8):632-5. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2014.01.008. Epub 2014 Jan 22. PMID: 24462967.
  • Brown SM, Campbell SD, Crafford A, Regina KJ, Holtzman MJ, Kharasch ED. P-glycoprotein is a major determinant of norbuprenorphine brain exposure and antinociception. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2012 Oct;343(1):53-61. doi: 10.1124/jpet.112.193433. Epub 2012 Jun 27. PMID: 22739506; PMCID: PMC3464040.
  • Brown SM, Holtzman M, Kim T, Kharasch ED. Buprenorphine metabolites, buprenorphine-3-glucuronide and norbuprenorphine-3-glucuronide, are biologically active. Anesthesiology. 2011 Dec;115(6):1251-60. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0b013e318238fea0. PMID: 22037640; PMCID: PMC3560935.
  • Fan J, Brown SM, Tu Z, Kharasch ED. Chemical and enzyme-assisted syntheses of norbuprenorphine-3-β-D-glucuronide. Bioconjug Chem. 2011 Apr 20;22(4):752-8. doi: 10.1021/bc100550u. Epub 2011 Mar 24. PMID: 21434652; PMCID: PMC3091394.
  • Dallas J, Brown SM, Hock K, Scott MG, Skrupky LP, Boyle WA 3rd, Kollef MH. Diagnostic utility of plasma procalcitonin for nosocomial pneumonia in the intensive care unit setting. Respir Care. 2011 Apr;56(4):412-9. doi: 10.4187/respcare.00979. Epub 2011 Jan 21. PMID: 21255510.
  • Brown SM, Upadhya R, Shoemaker JD, Lodge JK. Isocitrate dehydrogenase is important for nitrosative stress resistance in Cryptococcus neoformans, but oxidative stress resistance is not dependent on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Eukaryot Cell. 2010 Jun;9(6):971-80. doi: 10.1128/EC.00271-09. Epub 2010 Apr 16. PMID: 20400467; PMCID: PMC2901651.
  • Brown SM, Smith DM, Alt N, Thorpe SR, Baynes JW. Tissue-specific variation in glycation of proteins in diabetes: evidence for a functional role of amadoriase enzymes. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2005 Jun;1043:817-23. doi: 10.1196/annals.1333.094. PMID: 16037309.

Invited Publications and Peer Review Articles
  • Riley SB (2023). Bupropion Intoxication. Clinical and Forensic Toxicology News (Quarterly, the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (formerly AACC)/CAP).
  • Graham M, Baskin L, Riley SB. Toxic Adulterants: Buyer Beware! Continuing Education Activity for 2023, College of American Pathologists.
  • Tawiah KD, Riley SB, Budelier MM. Biomarkers and clinical laboratory detection of acute and chronic ethanol use. Clinical Chemistry 2022; 68:5, 635-645.
  • Riley, SB. Global laboratory medicine, providing a lens for global health. Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine 2021; 6:1, 11-14.
  • Chamma H, Riley S (December 2020). Iso-tonita-what? Isotonitazene, a designer opioid and an emerging threat. Clinical and Forensic Toxicology News (Quarterly, AACC/CAP), 4-6. Available from: https://www.aacc.org/science-and-research/clinical-and-forensic-toxicology-news
  • Tesfazghi MT, Riley SB. Lead poisoning in a 7-year-old boy with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. ASCP Case Rep Surg Pathol. 2017;SP17-3.
  • Brown SM. Preventing the next Flint: Interviewed by Julie Kirkwood Clin Lab News. 2016;43(11):12-15.
  • Brown SM, Haymond, S. To fight Zika and other global diseases, developing countries need better clinical laboratories: Editorial https://222.statnews.com/2016/09/29/global-disease-better-clinical-laboratories/. 2016.
  • Patel K, Brown SM, Dietzen DJ. Listening Closely when the Volume is Turned Down: Challenges to Small Volume Testing Clin Lab News. 2016.
  • Brown SM. Monthly Contributor Lab Med Global Health. 2016.
  • Brown SM, Dickerson J. The struggle is real: lab leaders discuss utilization challenges during a 2-day summit J Am Lab Med. 2016;1(3):306-309.
  • Andrews D, Brown SM. After the disaster: Sustaining point-of-care testing in a resource-poor environment. Point of Care. 2013;12:23-26.
  • Brown SM, Campbell LT, Lodge JK. Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungus under stress. Curr Opin Microbiol. 2007;10(4):320-5. PMCID: PMC2570326 PMID: 17707685

Book Chapters
  • Brown H, Riley SB. Quantitative Assay of Fentanyl and Analogs Using LC-MS/MS in: Garg U, ed. Clinical Applications of Mass Spectrometry in Drug Analysis: Methods and Protocols, 2nd ed. Methods in Molecular Biology 2737, Springer Protocols, Humana Press; 2023.
  • Riley SB. Comprehensive Urine Drug Screen by Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry in: Garg U, ed. Clinical Applications of Mass Spectrometry in Drug Analysis: Methods and Protocols, 2nd ed. Methods in Molecular Biology 2737, Springer Protocols, Humana Press; 2023.
  • Schindler EM, Brown SM, Scott M. Blood Gases and Electrolytes In: Brutis, Ashwood, Bruns, eds. Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics 6th ed. Rifai, Nader ed. Washington, DC: AACC Press; 2017.
  • Patel K and Brown SM. Point of Care Testing in Pediatrics In: Jones P, Dietzen DJ, Haymond S, Bennett MJ. eds. Pediatric Laboratory Medicine. McGraw Hill; 2017. 
  • Jones P, Brown SM. Day to Day Pediatric Clinical Chemistry In: Jones P, Dietzen DJ, Haymond S, Bennett MJ. eds. Pediatric Laboratory Medicine. McGraw Hill; 2017. 
  • Brown SM, Dickerson J. Pediatric Laboratory Medicine In: Clarke W, eds. Contemporary Practice in Clinical Chemistry 3rd ed. Washington, DC: AACC Press; 2016:Chapter 50, pp. 763-769.
  • Brown, SM. Inborn Errors of Metabolism In: Clarke W, eds. Contemporary Practice in Clinical Chemistry 3rd ed. Washington, DC: AACC Press; 2016:Chapter 42 pp. 651-663 .
  • Brown SM. Public Health and Prevention: Spotlight on Pediatric Laboratory Medicine In: Advancing Children's Health Through Pediatric Laboratory Medicine: The Unique Healthcare Needs of Children First ed. Washington, DC: AACC; 2016:pp. 4-5.
  • Wilen CB, Orner CS, Brown SM. Sustaining point-of-care testing in a resource-limited environment: Experiences in Hispaniola. In: Corbin C and Kost G, eds. Global Point of Care: Strategies for Disasters, Emergencies, and Public Health Resilience Washington, DC: AACC Press; 2015:439-443.
  • Brown SM. Gamma-glutamyl-transferase. In: Dazmierczak S and Azzazy H, eds. Diagnostic Enzymology Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH; 2014:121-134.

Honors and Awards

  • Catherine E. Costello Inaugural Award for Femails in Mass Spectrometry
  • Fellow, National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry
  • Oustanding Speaker Award, American Association of Clinical Chemistry
  • Early Career Women Faculty in Medicine and Science Leadership Seminar (competitive application)
  • Paul E. Strandjord Young Investigator Award, With Distinction, Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists
  • Chief fellow in clinical chemistry, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine
  • Alpha Sigma Nu, Saint Louis University
  • Presidential Graduate Research Assistantship, Saint Louis University

Professional Organizations and Associations

  • Society of Forensic Toxicologists
  • International Association of Forensi Toxicologists
  • Midwest Association for Toxicology and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
  • Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine
  • Academy of the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine (fellow)

Community Work and Service

  • EAGLE FANG Drug Checking Program
  • Chair, St. Louis City Fatality Review Panel
  • Board of Directors, Pathologists Overseas