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]

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
Austin to Remove Forensics Lab from Police Oversight
August 14, 2020
The City of Austin has chosen to remove the troubled forensics laboratory from under the control of the Austin Police Department as part of its City-Community Reimagining Task Force. read more
Anthropologists Rip Ancestry Estimates as Unscientific, Racist
August 12, 2020
In a letter addressed to the forensic anthropology community, two university anthropologists call for an immediate moratorium on the use of morphoscopic cranial traits in the estimation of ancestry, claiming the traits are not grounded in science and only serve to promote the debunked biological race concept. read more
New Stats Model Strengthens Accuracy of Footwear Evidence
August 10, 2020
The researchers found their models more successfully fit the location of accidentals on shoes than current models—and it did so quicker. read more
Arrest Made in 1986 Cold Case, Genetic Genealogy Provides Key Lead
August 07, 2020
Over the course of 32 years, Minnesota investigators interviewed and collected DNA from more than 100 people but were never able to link anyone to the rape and murder of 38-year-old Nancy Daugherty, a mother, nursing home aide and first responder. read more
MS Method for Semen, Condom Identification Could Revolutionize Rape Investigations
August 05, 2020
Scientists have pioneered a mass spectrometry-based technique for semen detection that can provide more reliable identification for the justice system while placing less stress on the victim. read more
FBI Study: M-Vac System Collects More DNA Than Swabbing
August 03, 2020
The study demonstrated that the M-Vac system is capable of collecting blood on multiple types of challenging surfaces, often with increased collection efficiency over traditional swabbing techniques. read more
Sexual Lubricant Survey, Database Seek to Understand Needs of Forensic Community
July 29, 2020
The primary goal of the database is to provide the community with a resource for analyzing sexual lubricants in sexual assault cases. read more
Bill Questions Proprietary Algorithms Used in Probabilistic Genotyping Software
July 27, 2020
A new bill brought forward by Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., is making the legality of using proprietary forensic software to unravel complex DNA mixtures just that—complex. read more
Two Security Breaches at GEDmatch Open All Users’ Profiles to Law Enforcement
July 23, 2020
On Sunday, July 19, GEDmatch experienced a security breach on one of the servers through an existing user account. The breach reset all user permissions, making all profiles visible to others for approximately 3 hours. read more
Missouri Bill Streamlines Rape Kit Testing, Adds Survivor Resources
July 20, 2020
Missouri’s governor has signed into law a sweeping bill that addresses sexual assault crimes, including an electronic tracking system for rape kits and a telehealth network for forensic examinations of victims. read more
Florida First to Protect Consumer DNA from All Insurance Companies
July 17, 2020
House Bill 1189 prohibits life, disability and long-term care insurance companies from requiring or soliciting genetic information from applicants and forbids DNA testing companies from providing consumer genetic information to insurers without permission. read more