Forensic Molecular Biology II

Catalog description

Advanced concepts and application of molecular biology techniques to the analysis of biological evidence collected at crime scenes. FRNSC 821 Forensic Molecular Biology II (4) Classroom discussions will expand on the application of forensic DNA analysis using all market types (STR, Y-STR, and mtDNA), including interpretation of complex profiles and mixtures, advanced understanding of instrument operation, and presentation of DNA results in the courtroom. Students will be introduced to technologies that could be applied in forensic laboratories in the near future (e.g., SNP's, micro-capillary arrays, microchips), and will gain an advanced understanding of how forensic DNA laboratories operate and are managed; i.e., quality assurance programs, facility security, proficiency testing programs, basic budgetary and financial issues, and other areas of interest. The laboratory exercises will reflect classroom discussions and students will be expected to prepare courtroom ready materials (data, documents, and demonstrations). The students will be responsible for setting up and running the laboratory in a similar manner to how a real crime laboratory is run. Many of the classroom discussions will be problem solving exercises designed to emphasize specific applications of laboratory analysis.At the end of the course, students will have mastered advanced screening techniques and the three major forensic DNA methods for analyzing biological evidence. Additionally, they will be prepared to work in a forensic DNA crime laboratory, understanding quality assurance, accreditation, and other areas of importance. In the laboratory, students will have analyzed difficult sample types, interpreted complex DNA profiles, and prepared the evidence for advanced levels of courtroom testimony.The proposed course is relevant to any student in the forensic sciences who has an interest in obtaining employment in a local, state or federal law enforcement agency and/or crime laboratory facility. This is an 800-level forensics course that will be required for students in the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Forensic Science degree program who are interested in forensic biology.