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 […]
The Agenda is Live: General Sessions Built for Real-World Forensic DNA Casework
Your case isn’t theoretical. Your sessions shouldn’t be either. The full ISHI 36 General Session agenda is now available—and if you’re a working DNA analyst, this is where your next breakthrough starts. This year’s lineup doesn’t just check boxes. It tackles the pressure points you’re navigating every day: Cold cases that won’t close Protocols that […]
Preserving Paradise: Inside Florida’s Loggerhead Marinelife Center
Interview written by Katie Goebel, Promega. Reposted from the ISHI Report with permission. Forty years ago, Eleanor Fletcher, affectionately known as “The Turtle Lady,” embarked on a mission that would transform Juno Beach into a global hub for sea turtle conservation. Inspired by the remarkable abundance of nesting turtles on the local shoreline, Eleanor began […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Now Live: The May Issue of The ISHI Report
As spring unfolds and we look ahead to ISHI 36 in West Palm Beach, the May issue of The ISHI Report is now live—and it’s one you won’t want to miss. Start Reading This edition opens with an extraordinary case that bridges forensic science and military history. In DNA Identification of Unknown World War II […]