Helen Podmore, PhD is a Global Product Manager at Smiths Detection, where she leads the development of advanced trace detection technologies for security and threat screening applications worldwide. With a career spanning scientific research, mass spectrometry, business development, and product management, Helen brings a unique combination of technical expertise and commercial leadership.

Helen's interest in drug detection began during her doctoral research at King's College London, where her PhD focused on drug detection in sport. This passion has remained a consistent theme throughout her career. During more than a decade at Thermo Fisher Scientific, she worked with laboratories using mass spectrometry to detect and analyse drugs and other compounds of interest, supporting applications across research, testing, and regulatory environments. She now continues this mission at Smiths Detection, helping to develop and deliver ion mobility spectrometry-based solutions that support the global fight against illegal drugs and other emerging threats.