Uncovering History: How Forensic DNA Identified African Ancestry in a Forgotten Burial Site
At ISHI 35, Martin MacStudy, a former forensic biology master’s student at Virginia Commonwealth University, shared his groundbreaking research on the East Marshall Street Well, where over 500 human remains were uncovered in Richmond, VA. Using mitochondrial DNA and next-generation sequencing (NGS), his work is helping to reconstruct identities and reveal the ancestry of individuals […]
Introducing the 2025 ISHI Student Ambassadors: Maria Flores
Maria Flores’ journey into forensic DNA began with a strawberry, a gel, and a high school biology lab—where extracting DNA for the first time lit a spark that’s been burning ever since. From early experiments to her current PhD research, Maria has followed her curiosity across wet labs, computational analysis, and now the emerging field […]
Introducing the Forensic Leadership Alliance
Leadership in forensic DNA is never theoretical. It’s complex. It’s personal. It’s often lonely. And it carries real consequences—on your team, your lab’s reputation, and the justice system itself. That’s why the Forensic Leadership Alliance (FLA) was created. Led by four respected voices in forensic science, the FLA is a collaborative space for DNA lab […]
Introducing the 2025 ISHI Student Ambassadors: Rory Conn
For Rory Conn, forensic DNA came into focus the moment she stepped into a lab and ran her first full DNA analysis—from extraction to profile interpretation. That Forensic Molecular Biology course not only sparked her curiosity but solidified a calling. Since then, Rory has leaned into every opportunity to deepen her skills, always keeping in […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! Navajo Nation Delegate Charles-Newton Champions Continued Support for Forensic DNA Technology at COLT Meeting […]
Introducing the 2025 ISHI Student Ambassadors: Laila Mansour
For Laila Mansour, forensic DNA wasn’t just a career option—it was a realization that science could be both personal and powerful. Growing up watching crime shows with her grandmother, she first saw forensic science on screen, but it wasn’t until she connected the dots between her love of biology, justice, and storytelling that she knew […]
AI Meets IGG: How Indago Is Scaling Cold Case Solutions
What happens when you combine FBI experience, artificial intelligence, and a relentless passion for solving the unsolvable? In this ISHI 35 interview, two of Indago’s co-founders, Steve Busch and Isaak Boseman, sit down to share how their team is revolutionizing investigative genetic genealogy (IGG). From Steve’s career-shaping moments at the FBI to Isaak’s background in […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! 1983 Cold Case Murder Arrest (Linn County Iowa – 5/28/2025) Linn County, Iowa sheriff’s […]
Introducing the 2025 ISHI Student Ambassadors: Maria Josefina Castagnola
Maria Josefina Castagnola didn’t land in forensic genetics by accident—it was a gradual unfolding, driven by a lifelong love of science and a growing interest in how identity and justice intersect. From her early days studying biochemistry in Argentina to hands-on work in exhumations and human identification, each experience has brought her closer to her […]