John Oladapo Obafunwa, qualified in Medicine in 1980 with an MBBS, from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He commenced postgraduate training in Anatomic Pathology at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in 1982, graduating in 1987 with FMCPath., and FWACP (Lab Med) in 1989 from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, and the West African College of Physicians, respectively. He later in 1991 enrolled at the Forensic Medicine Unit, Department of Pathology, University of Edinburgh, to sub-specialize in Forensic Pathology, and was awarded the Membership in Forensic Pathology (MRCPath.) in 1992 by the Royal College of Pathologists (UK). Some other qualifications include the Diploma in Medical Jurisprudence (DMJPath) (UK, 1991), FFPathRCP (Ireland, 1998), FRCPath (Forensic) (UK, 2001), FCLM (USA, 2005), FFFLM (UK, 2007), FICS (2009), and a Doctorate in Medicine (MD) from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (2022). He also holds a Diploma in Law from the University of Kent, Canterbury, UK, and a Law Degree, LL.B from the University of Northumbria, UK (2004), and a Ph.D. in Applied Ecology (Forensic Entomology) from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He also holds a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy from the University of Zurich (2018). He has thus been in Anatomic Pathology since 1982 and Forensic Pathology since 1991. He has worked in the UK, Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Nigeria; he had also worked in Liberia and Sierra Leone as a Consultant. He was appointed a Full Professor of Forensic Pathology in 2001and has several published works, including book chapters and technical reports. Apart from also working as a Consultant Histopathologist, he has in the course of his medicolegal duties coordinated a number of mass disaster investigations, with the identification of disaster victims, in addition to determining the cause and manner of death. He was the Chief Medical Examiner for Lagos State, Nigeria, for eight years. He is currently involved in research into the determination of the postmortem interval in forensic pathology, through the applications of forensic entomology and taphonomy, at the School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He also currently serves as the Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. The information and images presented in this book, by John are largely products of cases that he has directly handled or participated in, for over thirty years of being a forensic pathologist.Leon G. Higley is a Professor of Applied Ecology and Forensic Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He received a B.A. in chemistry from Cornell University in 1980, an M.S. in entomology from Iowa State University in 1984, and a Ph.D. in entomology/crop production and physiology from Iowa State University in 1988. Higley's forensic research focuses on the role of blowflies in decompositional ecology and estimating time of death. Currently, he is working on establishing development models for forensically important blow flies of North America and determining proper sampling procedures. His other research areas include the thermal ecology of the wet salts tiger beetle in thermal areas of Yellowstone National Park, plant physiological responses to insect injury (particularly photosynthesis), pest management decision making, and other issues in ecophysiology. He has advised 30 MS and PhD students and has taught 164 courses in 21 subject areas. His research awards include the 2007 Founder’s Memorial Award (ESA); 2005 C.V. Riley Award (ESA-NCB); 1996 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award (Iowa State University Alumni Association); and 1992 Sigma Xi Outstanding Young Scientist Award (University of Nebraska Chapter). Teaching recognition includes the 2005 Distinguished Teaching Award (University of Nebraska-Lincoln); 2000 Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching (ESA); 1998 Excellence in Graduate Education Award (University of Nebraska Alumni Association); and 1998 Senior Faculty Holling Family Award for Teaching Excellence (University of Nebraska-Lincoln). He is the author of over 151 peer-reviewed publications, over 26 book chapters, and 5 books.
