Using DNA to Identify Missing Migrants & Reunite Displaced Children
At #ISHI35, Sara Huston, a researcher and ethicist, shared her work on DNA databases for missing migrants and displaced children. From migrants who die unidentified at the U.S.-Mexico border to Ukrainian children taken during the war, her research highlights the urgent need for a global forensic system to reunite families and bring answers to those […]
Bridging the Gap: How the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence Supports Practitioners
Forensic science is evolving fast—but how do labs and law enforcement keep up with new technology? At #ISHI35, Mikalaa Martin from the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) shared how her team is helping forensic practitioners implement new forensic technology and best practices—at no cost. From forensic DNA to impression evidence, FTCOE provides resources, research, […]
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! Genetic Genealogy Brings New Clues in Case of Samuel Little Jane Doe Victim from […]
Behind the Bench: Why Leadership Should Focus on the Well-Being of Forensic DNA Analysts
Written by Jennifer Dillon, Michigan State Police, Wellness & Resiliency Section. Reposted from the ISHI Report with permission. Forensic DNA laboratories play a vital role in the criminal justice system. The work is high-stakes, precise, time-sensitive, and often emotionally taxing. Professionals face mounting pressure to meet deadlines, either placed on them internally or by the […]
Solving a 95-Year-Old Mystery: How Forensic Genetic Genealogy Identified the Sandy Point Man
How do you identify someone who went missing nearly a century ago? At #ISHI35, Dadna Hartman, forensic scientist at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, shared the remarkable case of the Sandy Point Man—a set of unidentified human remains discovered underwater in Australia in 2017. Through forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG), her team was able […]
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! Michigan State Police Teams with Othram to Identify a 1986 Sexual Assault Suspect (DNASolves […]
Legacy in the Mitochondria: Walther Parson and the Team Shaping the Future of Forensic Genetics
Interviews written and collated by Nicole Siffling, Tara Luther, Promega with assistance from AI. Reposted from the ISHI Report with permission. Inside the Institute of Legal Medicine at Innsbruck Medical University, where mountain views rival the scientific vistas unfolding in the lab, Dr. Walther Parson has spent decades building one of the world’s most influential […]
A Virtual Global Team Solving Cold Cases with Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy
What if forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) could work across time zones—solving cases 24/7? At ISHI 35, Runa Daniel shared the groundbreaking work of the first-ever Virtual International FIGG Team, developed in partnership with the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Australian Federal Police. This global network of forensic scientists, law enforcement, and intelligence […]
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! Investigators, Forensic Technology Help Identify Woman in 1968 Cold Case Murder in Will County, […]