Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine - VIFM

02/04/2026

🐣🌸 Happy Easter from VIFM 🌸🐣

Wishing our community a safe and peaceful Easter.

This time of year reminds us of renewal, reflection, and care for one another - values that are at the heart of the work we do every day. We acknowledge and thank our dedicated staff and partners who continue to serve the Victorian community with professionalism, compassion, and integrity.

As you spend time with family and loved ones over the Easter period, please take care and stay safe - especially on the roads and while enjoying the outdoors 💛

25/03/2026

🦴 Know a student or friend who’d love this?

Registrations are now OPEN for our 4-day ‘Introduction to Human Osteology’ short course at VIFM, led by Dr Samantha Rowbotham, Senior Forensic Anthropologist at VIFM.

Perfect for students and professionals looking to build hands-on skills in skeletal analysis and gain practical insights into osteology in a real-world forensic context.

📣 Tag or share with someone who shouldn’t miss this opportunity!
🎓 Limited places available

🔗 Register here: https://shorturl.at/tOeiX

13/02/2026

SAY YES to love that saves lives. Becoming a tissue donor after you pass away could mean that your heart lives on.

True love facts about tissue valve donation from a donor heart :

🧡 Heart valves can save lives.
🧡 Donated heart valves can be used to treat children born with hearts that have not formed normally.
🧡 Donated heart valves can also be used to replace diseased heart valves in adults.
🧡 Donated heart valves allow patients to live normal, active lives.
🧡 Donated human heart valves have many advantages over artificial or non-human alternatives.

Please consider registering as a donor today. Two minutes is all it takes, once you have decided to become a donor, and discussed it with your loved ones. https://www.donatelife.gov.au/register-donor-today

09/02/2026

🕒 It's perfectly ok to be fashionably late in registering for today's live webinar celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science - but don't leave it too late - we're live at 4pm today.

➡️ Make sure you don't miss out and be sure to register before 1pm ! 🔗➡️ https://shorturl.at/FZ8hU

We have three of Victoria's leading female scientists talking all things from the Lab to Leadership...

Today | 4pm - 5.15pm | Tuesday 10th February | Online Event

27/01/2026

Don't miss out on the chance to hear from Victoria's top female scientists at our International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026 online event - Tuesday 10th February at 4pm.

We are thrilled to have the following on our panel:
⭐ Rebecca Kogios PSM - Executive Director of the Victoria Police Forensic Services Department
⭐Professor Belinda Gabbe - Co-Head of the Clinical and Health data Outcomes Innovation and Research Division at Monash University
⭐Associate Professor Joanna Glengarry - Forensic Pathologist, and Head of Forensic Pathology at Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM)

The event is suitable for a wide range of female scientists - including STEM students, university and post graduate students, and female scientists who may be employed in forensics or other disciplines who are keen to learn about careers in Forensics and Healthcare.

From the lab to leadership, this event will inspire and empower. Link is below for more info and to book tickets.

From the lab to leadership - join us online for this unique opportunity to hear from three of Victoria’s finest female scientists.

13/01/2026

What a fab way to start the new year ❤️

New Year, new resolutions…
Go to the gym 🏋️‍♀️
Drink less 🍷
Eat more greens 🥦

Or how about one that could save lives?

Registering to be an organ and tissue donor takes just two minutes.

No sweat. No smoothies. No memberships.

It’s easier than your first workout of the year - with much more impact. Your decision could one day help someone see again, walk again, or simply live.

Make this the resolution that truly matters ❤️

Register today. Two minutes is all it takes, once you have decided to become a donor, and discussed it with your family. https://www.donatelife.gov.au/register-donor-today

23/12/2025

Yesterday we celebrated VIFM legends Maria and Kellie - today, we’re continuing the theme by acknowledging more of the people who make VIFM what it is 👏

🏆 Quarterly ROSII Award
Congratulations to Andrea Lea, Forensic Nurse Examiner, our Quarterly ROSII Award winner 🌟📸

🎖 15 Year Long Service Awards
Thank you to Dr Sanjeev Gaya, Melissa Peka, Irene Kantzidis and Zoe Bowman for 15 years of outstanding service 🙌 📸

🎖 10 Year Long Service Awards
Congratulations to Lachlan Arentz, Charlie Ford and Niki Taxidis on reaching 10 years with VIFM 🎉📸

As we head toward the end of the year, it’s a great reminder of the people behind the work — and the commitment that keeps VIFM strong 💙

22/12/2025

🎉 Legends of VIFM! 🎉

Huge shout-out to two absolute legends 👏

🧪 Maria Pricone - 35 years as a Forensic Toxicologist expert at VIFM
🔬 Kellie Hamilton - 30 years as a Scientist & R&D expert with the Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria

Decades of dedication, expertise and impact. We’re so proud to celebrate you both 💙

22/12/2025

This festive season, we take a moment to reflect on the incredible impact of donation and to honour the donor families whose generosity continues to change lives.

With heartfelt thanks, we wish you peace and comfort during this time of reflection 💙

For those who'd like to make their wishes known, you can register as an organ and tissue donor here:
👉 https://www.donatelife.gov.au/register-donor-today

20/12/2025

🎉 Congratulations to Nat, Bianca and Anne - our Family Health team!🎉

We’re proud to celebrate the VIFM Family Health team on winning our Annual ROSII Award - awarded for general 'awesomeness', and specifically for encompassing all of our values of Respect, Openness, Service, Integrity and Innovation.

This achievement recognises their dedication, compassion, and commitment to supporting families when we have identified a medical condition in their deceased family member. This condition may have a genetic basis and be significant to the healthcare of surviving family members. It's a very sensitive and caring role they play with families at very difficult times, and a vital role for the community.

This is a fantastic result - congratulations again to Nat, Bianca and Anne! 👏

Pictured (L-R): Bianca Szymanski - Family Health Nurse, Nat Morgan - Family Health & Genetic Nurse Specialist and Anne Nunan - Family Health Nurse.

19/12/2025

📸 Then & Now – Cordner Hall Edition! 📸

Back in 2013, this photo was taken on the stairs of Cordner Hall at VIFM, featuring a much younger Dr Luke Rodda alongside colleagues of the time.

Fast forward to 2025 - Luke is now the Chief Forensic Toxicologist and Director at San Francisco's Chief Medical Examiner's Office, and during a recent visit back to the Institute, we couldn’t resist recreating the moment on the very same stairs with a group of today’s VIFM staff.

👀 Your challenge:
Can you name the people in both photos?
Who do you recognise from 2013, and who’s part of the 2025 crew?

Drop your answers in the comments and let’s see who has the sharpest memory!

18/12/2025

🎓VIFM forensic pathologists A/Prof Joanna Glengarry and Dr Felicity Barnes went back to school this week... and don't they look happy? 😁

The RCPA Summer School event in Melbourne gave medical students a first-hand look at what pathologists do and how they work - across all specialties, with Jo and Felicity giving their insights on Forensic Pathology.

We hope the students came out as happy as these two 👏👏👏