Helene LeBlanc
MSc, PhD, M-ABFE
Associate Professor
Forensic Science
Faculty of Science
Focus on world-leading research in the field of forensic entomology and upholding the Ontario Tech Forensic Science program's high standard of education.
Contact information
Science Building - Room 4025
North Oshawa
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5
905.721.8668 ext. 3688
Research topics
- Electroantennography
- Forensic Entomology
- Chemosensory
- Vertebrate Decomposition
- Volatile Organic Compounds
- Chemical Ecology
- Integrated Pest Management
- Behaviour
- Diptera
- Calliphoridae
- Muscidae
Areas of expertise
- Board Certified Forensic Entomology
- Consultant
- Electroantennography
- Chemosensory
Background
Professor Helene LeBlanc is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Science at Ontario Tech University and the Undergraduate Program Director of the Forensic Science program. Prof. LeBlanc’s research team explore volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with decomposing remains and their effect on carrion insects. Prof. LeBlanc and her team run electroantennography experiments to isolate behaviour-modifying (active) compounds for particular species of flies. These techniques are also applied to dairy farm pests, such as the stable fly, in order to isolate compounds that can be used in integrated pest management strategies.
Prof LeBlanc has been a forensic entomology consultant for 20 years, starting with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She went on to do her Masters of Science and Doctorate degree in the United Kingdom. While in Europe she continued to work in the field of forensic entomology, as well as molecular biology, for La Police Scientifique in France, LGC Forensics (formerly Forensic Alliance Ltd.) in Oxfordshire, and the Derbyshire Constabulary in Ripley, England.
Education
- Board Certified Forensic Entomologist American Board of Forensic Entomology 2017
- PhD University of Derby with Rothamsted Research 2008
- MSc in Forensic Science University of Strathclyde 2001
- BSc Saint-Mary's University 1998
Courses taught
- FSCI 3120U Forensic Biology
- FSCI 3010U Criminalistics I
- FSCI 3030U Criminalistics II
- FSCI 2020U Essentials of Crime Scene Science
- APBS 6400G Advanced Topics in Forensic Bioscience
