Lilian de Melo Barbosa Professor of Forensic Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry Presents: Lilian de Melo Barbosa, Professor of Forensic Chemistry, GW

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) has shifted from a traditional Southeast Asian remedy to a major U.S. public health concern. While proponents cite its utility for chronic pain management and opioid withdrawal mitigation,toxicological and forensic data reveal severe risks—chiefly driven by unregulated product potency, polypharmacy-relatedfatalities, and the adulteration of commercial products with novel synthetic analogs. In response to these emergingthreats, the DEA placed several potent 7-hydroxymitragynine analogs (including MGM-15, MGM-16, and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl) under temporary Schedule I control in August 2026.

BIO

Lilian de Melo Barbosa received her MS in Chemistry from the University of São Paulo (Brazil) and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, San Diego. From 2013-2016, de Melo Barbosa served as a Forensic Scientist and Crime Scene Investigator for the Scientific Police of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In this role, she conducted forensic analyses for a variety of crimes, collecting DNA samples, fingerprints, and blood samples to aid investigations. She also testified in court, providing expert forensic reports for numerous criminal cases. Following her work at the crime scene, de Melo Barbosa transitioned in the same institution to the Drug Analysis Lab, where she served as a Forensic Chemist from 2017 to 2023. Her work in the lab, which included conducting research on over 10,000 illicit substances cases. Additionally, de Melo Barbosa served on the Board of Directors of the Brazilian Academy of Forensic Sciences from 2020 to 2022. De Melo Barbosa has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and book chapters on topics including novel psychoactive substances and the analysis of illicit drugs. Previously served as a professor and guest speaker in several Brazilian universities, lecturing in the field of Forensic Chemistry and Forensic Toxicology since 2014.