It was the year 2007 when doctors Carmen García Ruiz and Mercedes Torre Roldán decided to embark themselves on
the creation of a novel research group, both because of its intrinsic nature and because of the dedication and
inventiveness that the first and only forensic chemistry research laboratory at the University of Alcalá (UAH) would
require. The group was created within the University Institute for Research in Police Sciences (IUICP) of the University
of Alcalá, as a response to the growing need to apply research in experimental sciences to Forensic Sciences.
The foundation of the group began with the creation of a valuable group of researchers (some of them with several
years of experience behind; others were novels), the acquisition of equipment and materials, the organization of the
laboratories where we are located today... Thus, in 2008, the group enjoyed its first research project, and later
published its first article:
New protocol for the isolation of nitrocellulose from gunpowders: Utility in their identification
Our history
The beginning of the CINQUIFOR history dates back to 2007, and this story would not make sense if not starting with the
group that, until 2018, embraced the vast majority of people who make up our team today.
2007
2008
2010
But it was not until April 2010 that the Research in Forensic Chemistry group (baptised as INQUIFOR) was officially
recognised as a university research group by the UAH. This stage meant a change of approach, transitioning from
means to ends, and the development of investigations centered on different forensic problems and the objectives for
tackling them.
Since then, the functioning of the group has been excellent. The exchange of information, opinions and resources
made it possible that, in a short time, numerous research projects, publications, communications in conferences and
doctoral theses were carried out in a remarkably successful way.
1
st
logo:
2
nd
logo:
2018
April 2018 arrived and, with it, the need to make a difficult decision, but at the same time constructive and aimed at
continuing to grow as a group that, after more than eight years of life and great recognition in its field of action, had to
cover more than the Forensic Chemistry Research Group did to date. INQUIFOR was dissolved, and immediately
refounded as the Research in Forensic and Chemical Sciences group (CINQUIFOR) with part of the researchers that
had made up the INQUIFOR group, responding to the need to support and visualise new lines of research in chemistry
that had been developed, to recognise the investigations in the different areas of Forensic Sciences that had been
developed and to show that it was in line with the more integrated and interdisciplinary character that the original
group had acquired over the last few years.
Current logo:
The UAH recognises CINQUIFOR as a university research group in June 2018.
