Advanced Topics in Forensic DNA Typing: Methodology

John M. Butler is a NIST Fellow and Special Assistant to the Director for Forensic Science, Office of Special Programs, at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Dr. Butler earned his PhD from the University of Virginia while doing DNA research in the FBI Laboratory's Forensic Science Research Unit. He has won numerous scientific awards, including being named Science Watch’s #1 world-wide high-impact author in legal medicine and forensic science over the last decade (July 2011). He has over 150 publications in this field and is a frequent presenter on the topic of DNA typing, and has authored four other DNA Typing books including Advanced Topics in Forensic DNA Typing: Methodology. For a detailed CV, visit http://www.cstl.nist.gov/strbase/butler.htm.

"John Butler has produced a series of books detailing the major issues involved in forensic DNA typing. His latest book on advanced topics in DNA typing provides exceptional coverage of this complex and difficult topic. Through his work at NIST and his many collaborations with forensic analysts, Dr. Butler has kept up to date with all recent advances in the field. In his book he brings remarkable clarity through examples, diagrams, and case notes that is unsurpassed in any other text on the subject." --Bruce McCord, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, Florida

• 1. Sample Collection, Storage, and Characterization2. DNA Extraction Methods3. DNA Quantitation 4. PCR Amplification: Capabilities and Cautions5. Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Loci and Kits6. Capillary Electrophoresis: Principles and Instrumentation7. Quality Assurance and Validation8. DNA Databases: Uses and Issues9. Missing Persons and Disaster Victim Identification Efforts10. Degraded DNA11. Low-Level DNA Testing: Issues, Concerns, and Solutions12. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Applications13. Y-Chromosome DNA Testing14. Mitochondrial DNA Analysis15. X-Chromosome Analysis16. Non-Human DNA17. New Technologies and Automation18. Legal Aspects of DNA Testing and the Scientific Expert in CourtAppendix 1 Reported Sizes and Sequences of STR AllelesAppendix 2 Familial DNA Searches: Potential, Pitfalls, and Privacy ConcernsAppendix 3 List of Suppliers for DNA Instruments, Reagents, ServicesAppendix 4 Interviews Supporting Legal Aspects of DNA Testing