Under the Microscope – Walther Parson
Unknown perpetrators of crime cannot be identified with the current forensic use of DNA. The European Horizon 2020 Project VISAGE (Visual Attributes Through Genomics) aims to overcome this limitation by developing, validating, and implementing a set of molecular genetic tools for predicting appearance, age, and ancestry from unknown trace donors directly from their traces left […]
Under the Microscope – Jennifer Janetsky
Situated 60 miles north of Detroit, Flint was a Michigan boomtown and the birthplace of GM more than 100 years ago. In the 1980’s GM famously shuttered the Fisher 1 Body Plant, ripping out the heart of Buick City, and sending 80,000 people to the unemployment line overnight. Those who could leave did, and those […]
Back to the Midwest for ISHI 31
In 2020, we’re taking a break from the west coast and ‘mooving’ to San Antonio, Texas for ISHI 31. While foodies already know a taste of what San Antonio has to offer, those who have never been will find that there is a lot to explore as well. written by: Tara Luther, Promega […]
Questions of Genome Privacy and Protection
In April 2018, law enforcement officials announced the arrest of a suspect in the Golden State Killer case (New York Times ). Shortly after the announcement, those same law enforcement officers explained that detectives had used a public forensic genealogy web site to help identify the killer. What does it mean when a law enforcement agency […]
Systems Thinking and DNA Mixtures
Do you struggle with DNA mixture interpretation? Would you like to learn more about systems thinking and how this approach can positively impact mixture interpretation results and probabilistic genotyping outcomes? Are you interested in better understanding the differences and relationships between sensitivity, resolution, analytical thresholds, and other relevant analytical figures? In her workshop at ISHI […]
The Future is Now for MPS mtDNA Analysis
Are you wondering what role MPS plays in forensic mtDNA analysis? Would you like to learn what systems are currently available for forensic MPS mtDNA analysis? Does the thought of validating and implementing MPS in your lab leave you anxious? In their workshop at ISHI 29, Mitchell Holland of Penn State University and Michael Brandhagen […]
Preparing as an Expert Witness: Then and Now
Robin Cotton has testified as an expert witness in 35 states. Here, she describes what testifying was like in the early days of DNA, shares tips for how to simplify complicated terms for the jury, and explains why it’s important to speak to the science, no matter who is asking the question. […]
Preparing as an Expert Witness for DNA Testimony in Today’s Courtroom
Are you wondering how to explain probabilistic genotyping and likelihood ratios to a jury? Would you like to learn how to respond to forensic implications from media publications or landmark court decisions? Does the thought of learning and then describing new forensic technologies in a courtroom leave you anxious? In her workshop at ISHI 29, […]
Catalyzing Solutions with Synthetic Biology
The keynote speaker for this year’s International Symposium on Human Identification (ISHI), Andrew Hessel, describes himself as a catalyst for big projects and ideas (1). In biology, catalysts are enzymes that alter the microenvironment and lower the energy of activation so that a chemical reaction that would proceed anyway happens at a much faster rate—making a reaction […]
