Melanie Bailey

Dr. Melanie Bailey is a Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Surrey, where she lectures on Analytical Chemistry and Forensics. She obtained her Bsc. in Physics in 2001 from the University of Manchester and her PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Surrey Ion Beam Centre in 2005.

Dr. Bailey has been developing ion beam analysis and ambient mass spectrometry methods for the analysis of trace evidence collected from crime scenes such as gunshot residue particles, soils, fibres, paints and glass and has demonstrated that the techniques can offer attractive features compared with other methods of analysis. She has been working with the International Atomic Energy Agency as an Expert Consultant to bring together Forensic end users and ion beam practitioners. Key collaborators include the Netherlands Forensic Institute, Home Office Centre for Applied Science and Technology, National Physical Laboratory, Kings College London, Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited, the University of Lausanne and the Italian Carabinieri.

Dr. Bailey is also interested in the development of novel analytical methods. She is the PI of the EPSRC grant "IBA-DAPNe: a new system for sub-micron scale molecular speciation and quantification" was Theme Leader for Forensics on the EPSRC grant ʺAmbient Mass Spectrometry at the Sub-Micron Scaleʺ, which is developing the MeV-SIMS technique and applications.

Dr Bailey has worked for the last 10 years on an exploration of techniques that can be used to detect and measure molecules present in latent fingerprints, with law enforcement providers and academics. Latent fingerprints have a great potential to offer extra information about an offender (e.g. based on sex, ethnicity, drug use, diet), and may also find a use in medical testing. She is working with a number of different local hospitals to explore their utility. The results of these studies have been featured in a variety of technical publications as well as The Guardian, Sky News, ITV News, BBC Radio and Scientific American.