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. […]
Identifying the Golden State Killer: An Interview with Paul Holes and Barbara Rae-Venter
In April of 2018, news broke that the elusive Golden State Killer had been identified through a new technique called genetic genealogy (or investigative genealogy). In just 4 ½ months, Paul Holes and his team (including genealogist Barbara Rae-Venter) put a name to the man who had terrorized California for years. In this interview, […]
Fall Edition of The ISHI Report Now Live
The Fall edition of The ISHI Report is now live! We hope that many of you were able to participate in the 30th International Symposium on Human Identification that took place in Palm Springs. This issue includes features and interviews with several speakers and attendees from the just completed conference. A very […]
Using Isotopes to Tell the Stories of the Unidentified
According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), 600,000 individuals go missing in the United States each year. While many are quickly found, it is estimated that 4,400 unidentified bodies are recovered each year, with 1,000 of them remaining unidentified after one year. All told, there are currently more than 40,000 sets of […]
The Good ‘Ol Days: Recounting the Beginnings of Forensic DNA Technology with Cece Crouse
This year, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the International Symposium on Human Identification. While our agenda often showcases current and emerging technologies, we also want to pay homage to the technologies and people who paved the way for the field of forensic DNA technology. In the opening video at ISHI 30, retired Lab Director […]
Fun Facts from ISHI 30
The 30th International Symposium on Human Identification was one of the largest yet, with approximately 1,000 attendees! Here are some other fun facts about the meeting as well as a video of the highlights. These 1,000 attendees represented 46 countries from around the globe. According to the post-ISHI survey, most attendees self-identified as […]
Using DNA at the Border: Untangling Misconceptions
As the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy unfolded in Spring-Summer 2018, so too did a barrage of stories around migrant children being separated from their parents, and then mandates to re-unify them by judge-ordered deadlines. Atop the chaos were calls for DNA testing to screen migrants for trafficking, offers from genomics companies to donate tests […]
Clearing the Sexual Assault Backlog in Murdertown, USA
Clearing the sexual assault backlog in the US has become a top priority over the past couple of years, because each rape kit that sits on a shelf untested represents a victim whose case has not yet been investigated. In Flint, Michigan, the backlog stood at 1,047 untested kits when Jen Janetsky became an […]
Meet Your Exhibitors – Hamilton
Kevin Miller of Hamilton shares how Hamilton Robotics products can automate a forensic lab’s analytical processes. Transcript: Travis: Good morning, my name is Travis, and you are? Kevin: Kevin Miller Travis: Nice to meet you Kevin. ISHI 29; is this your first ISHI, Kevin? Kevin: It is not. It’s my 29th […]
