Michelle Taylor

Editor-in-Chief

Forensic

Michelle Taylor has worked on the Forensic brand since 2016. Well established in the industry, Michelle has attended dozens of scientific conferences and conducted interviews with key opinion leaders, including multiple Nobel Prize winners and award-winning forensic scientists. Michelle enjoys writing about investigative forensic genetic genealogy, novel psychoactive substances, next-generation sequencing, sexual assault kits and more. Michelle received her BA in journalism from Elon University in North Carolina. Michelle can be reached at [email protected] Michelle can be reached at [email protected]

DOJ Awards $192 Million for the Advancement of Forensic Science
October 16, 2020
This week, the Department of Justice awarded a total of $192 million to U.S. states to advance forensic science. The funding package breaks down to 13 specific grants, with an obvious focus on increasing DNA analysis throughout the nation. read more
Her Name was Emma: Delaware Police ID 3-Year-Old Victim a Year Later
October 14, 2020
More than a year after her remains were found on a softball field in Delaware, police have two persons of interest in custody regarding the death of 3-year-old Emma Cole—her mother, Kristie Haas, and stepfather Brandon Haas. read more
Second Search for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Victims to Begin Next Week
October 12, 2020
Forensic anthropologists will commence a second search for the remains of victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre on Monday, Oct. 19, after a previous attempt to recover remains was unsuccessful this past summer. read more
Neural Network for Bruise Dating is Twice as Accurate Than Current Methods
October 07, 2020
Researchers in Peru are proposing a model based on deep convolutional neural networks as an alternative for bruise dating—one that is almost twice as accurate as current methods. read more
Operation UNITED Exhumes Buried Remains for DNA Identification
October 05, 2020
The FBI and Detroit police exhumed more bodies last week in the continuing effort to identify unknown homicide victims buried in "paupers' graves." read more
Study: Forensic Examiners are Stressed
October 02, 2020
While appreciation levels were high last week during National Forensic Science week, forensic examiners report it is not always like that, according to one of the first studies to address workplace stress from various forensic science fields. read more
Should Medical Biobanks be Used in Criminal Investigations?
September 30, 2020
While it was critically important to get the BTK killer off the streets, was it ethical to do so by seizing his daughter’s biological material, kept in a university clinic she visited for cervical cancer screening? read more
From Prison to America’s Got Talent: Archie Williams Fulfills Dream After 36 Years Wrongfully Imprisoned
September 28, 2020
Archie Williams spent 36 years wrongfully imprisoned for a rape and stabbing he didn’t commit. Last week, he received a standing ovation on the stage of a television show he used to watch in prison. read more
Police, Orgs Recognize Scientists During Forensic Science Week
September 25, 2020
Forensic science is hard. The hours are grueling, the pressure is relentless, there’s too much casework and not enough hands. This week, Sept. 20 to 26, is the Eighth Annual National Forensic Science Week. read more
Global Survey: Majority of People Unwilling to Share DNA, Trust is Low
September 23, 2020
The largest-ever international survey on genomics found that less than half of those surveyed would share their DNA for research and medical purposes, citing trust as a major factor in their decision read more
Using Phenotypic and Genotypic Data to Predict Eye Color
September 17, 2020
At ISHI, Susan Walsh gave virtual audience members a sneak peak into her laboratory’s latest project—quantitatively predicting eye color from phenotypic and genotypic information. read more
FBI Pilots Rapid DNA at Booking Stations, ID’s Challenges for Crime Scenes
September 15, 2020
The FBI conducted Rapid DNA booking station pilot programs in four states and turned the lessons learned into a Standards and Procedure document approved by the FBI director last month. read more
Genetic Genealogy Think Tank Proposes a Streamlined Approach for the Future
September 14, 2020
Investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) has officially outgrown its box, and a new team of experts is ready to work with the forensic community to advance IGG from the “OMG Era” to the “Investigative Intelligence Era.” read more
Using Plants’ Spectral Signal to Detect Human Remains
September 11, 2020
Imagine: researchers deploy a drone that has been configured to scan plants for specific fluorescence or reflectance signals that indicate human remains. In less than an hour, the wide-searching drone has detected an uncommon signal, pointing the forensic team right to the cadaver. read more
Forensic Genomics Journal Accepting First Submissions, Editor Says the ‘Time is Right’
September 09, 2020
Forensic Genomics, a new peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., is now open for submissions, welcoming research and knowledge from multiple disciplines, professions, methodologies and paradigms. read more
Report Details Recommendations for Facial Recognition Framework
September 04, 2020
Characterizing the technology as misunderstood and complex, MITRE says the government should stop short of a moratorium on facial recognition, rather issuing a resolution that deters near-term misuse and signals long-term regulations and oversight. read more
Wearable Device Could Estimate Blood Loss after Gunshot Wound
September 02, 2020
A new “wearable” seeks to assess how much blood a victim has lost by measuring seismic vibrations in the chest cavity. read more
Field Trace Vapor Generator Can Accurately Detect Explosives, Narcotics
August 24, 2020
Researchers with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have just made it easier and safer to detect explosives and illegal drugs with a small footprint, second-generation vapor generator that can be used in the field. read more
Field Kit Can Distinguish Hemp from Marijuana in 10 Minutes
August 21, 2020
Without being able to test a sample in the field, law enforcement must seize any suspected controlled substance and submit it to a crime lab for full analysis, which can take months and cost thousands. read more
App Seeks to (Eventually) Provide Instant Estimate of Time of Death
August 19, 2020
The goal of geoFOR is to capture as much information as possible on body decomposition across a variety of geographic areas. Ideally, after years of data input, the app should contain enough data to provide near-instant estimates of time of death. read more