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 who had been lost to history.
🔬 Inside this interview:
➡️ The discovery of a forgotten burial site with African ancestry connections
➡️ How mitochondrial DNA and SNPs helped reconstruct genetic history
➡️ The forensic techniques Martin had to master to analyze highly degraded remains
➡️ His path from forensic summer camp to becoming an ISHI Student Ambassador
Forensic science isn’t just about solving modern crimes—it’s about giving a voice to those who were lost. Watch the full interview to see how DNA is rewriting history.
