The Hanson case was considered high risk because after 50 years, the crime scene DNA was severely degraded and believed to be unusable. read more

In November 2001, Johnson County, Texas resident was picking up cans on the side of Briar Oaks Road, when he found the remains of an newborn infant, who was wrapped in a jacket. read more

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office and the DNA Doe Project announce the identity of a woman whose body was discovered on May, 25, 1981, at a low water crossing near Dixon, MO. the victim of an apparent homicide. read more

The Rutgers University–Camden graduate student was conducting research in her forensics lab, following the recipe for a florescent-based fingerprint powder, when she realized that she couldn’t get a vital component in time to complete the project. read more

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) offer unique advantages for human identification applications supplementing STR markers to enhance traditional analyses or enabling new and expanded application capabilities. In this Verogen webinar, the talk focuses on SNPs applied to current analyses to improve outcomes, generating better answers to today’s questions. read more

The case—known in popular culture as Babes in the Woods—dates back to 1953, when skeletal remains of two boys were discovered by a groundskeeper near Beaver Lake, in Stanley Park. read more

Where it was previously poorly understood, DNA analysis is now considered so commonplace that direct-toconsumer DNA tests can be purchased in many drugstores. Forensic DNA evidence is considered the gold standard in criminal investigations and many refer to the “CSI-effect” to reflect the current attitude amongst jurors and laypeople that DNA evidence is required to successfully prosecute cases. In particular, QIAGEN responded to the growing need for increased throughput in labs – a result of increased DNA profiling success rates, the introduction of backlog elimination legislation and the expansion of DNA qualifying offenses in many jurisdictions – by developing new instrumentation for automating forensic lab workflows. Arguably, QIAGEN’s introduction of automated extraction instruments fundamentally changed the day-to-day operation of many forensic DNA laboratories, allowing them to dramatically increase throughput. read more

Forensic scientists can determine a strength of match. This match statistic summarizes in a single number just how strongly a person is connected to DNA evidence. Many courts require such a statistic before accepting DNA evidence. read more

Expanding on years of mass spectrometry-based fingerprint detection technology and research, Melanie Bailey and her team have now proven a single fingerprint left at a crime scene can be used to determine whether someone has ingested cocaine or simply touched it. read more

NC State was recently announced as one of two forensic anthropology subcontractors with RTI International on the management of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). read more