Emerging Forensic Research Series: Forensic Biology

In this installment of the Emerging Research series, three researchers will present on their current research in the forensic biology discipline. Dr. Utkan Demirci from Stanford University will present on his work about developing a confirmatory test for sperm in sexual assault samples using a microfluidic-integrated cell phone imaging system. Dr. Brian Kemp from the University of Oklahoma will discuss his research dealing with the impact of standard laboratory procedures on aged, degraded, and/or low copy number DNA. Finally, Dr. Bruce McCord from Florida International University will discuss the development of a PCR based multiplex for the simultaneous analysis of age and body fluid identification.

Detailed Learning Objectives:

1. Overview of three NIJ-supported emerging research projects in the forensic biology discipline and their progress
2. Potential impact of these emerging forensic biology research projects to the forensic community
3. Discussion of next steps and transition of this research into the forensic community