The Power of Genetic Genealogy
In this interview, Diahan Southard, Founder of Your DNA Guide, shares how researching ancient Egyptian mummies led to the inception of the genetic genealogy databases that we know today. She also discusses the range of emotions felt by families who discover secrets in their own family tree and how to best handle these surprises within […]
Writing the Books on Forensic DNA: Dr. John Butler
Dr. John Butler has both taught and inspired many in the field of forensic DNA. In this interview, Mirna Ghemrawi, PhD student at Florida International University and former ISHI student ambassador, helps us to get to know John a little better. She asks him about what led him to become an author, what advice he […]
An Interview with Dr. Peter de Knijff, a Pioneer in Forensic DNA
Leiden University’s Peter de Knijff humbly declines being called a guru, but, as a pioneer in forensic DNA, his contributions to the field have been plentiful. Dr. de Knijff is a full professor in population genetics and evolutionary genetics at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), where he has lead the Forensic Laboratory for DNA […]
An Interview with Author Ed Humes on Writing True Crime Novels
In this interview, author Ed Humes shares how he became a true crime novelist, where he finds inspiration, and what he’s working on now. From his first book on the kidnapping of a student in Mexico, to the true story of a mother who has been potentially falsely imprisoned since the 1990’s for the death […]
Human Skin Microbiome: Selecting Informative SNPs for Human Identification
ISHI Ambassador, Allison Sherier of UNTHSC, describes her PhD thesis work, in which she hopes to use the human skin microbiome as an alternative source of DNA to identify evidence from crime scenes. Transcript: Travis: Good morning, Allison. How are we doing today? Allison: I’m doing great. How are you? […]
Winter Edition of The ISHI Report Now Live
The weather may still be arctic in Wisconsin, but we’re doing our best to think Spring! The latest issue of the ISHI Report should warm the heart of any forensic scientist. As always, we’ll explore some of the hottest topics affecting the field and meet influential individuals who are advancing the cause of science and […]
Identifying the Victims of the Conception Boat Fire
On Labor Day, 2019, The Conception caught fire on the last day of a 3-day diving trip off of the coast of California. Tragically, all 33 passengers and 1 crew member perished in the fire. In this interview, Kimberly Gin, Coroner at the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office shares how she and a Deputy Coroner […]
Long-Read Sequencing Technique As A Powerful Tool In Forensic Investigations
In the past twenty years, the statistical data on murders in USA stated that males account for most of the violent crimes. The work of the forensic analyst is very hard when dealing with evidence coming from a vaginal swab in a rape case, as the samples present mixtures. Because of this, the interpretation of […]
The Future of Forensic Science: An Interview with Athina Vidaki
Athina Vidaki, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands discusses the newest technologies and techniques in forensic science. From sequencing an entire genome from just a few cells, to predicting age and appearance from blood or saliva samples, the future of forensic casework is developing rapidly. […]
