Kelly M. Elkins – författare

DNA typing has revolutionized criminal investigations and has become a powerful tool in the identification of individuals in criminal and paternity cases. Forensic DNA Biology: A Laboratory Manual is comprised of up-to-date and practical experiments and step-by-step instructions on how to perform DNA analysis, including pipetting, microscopy and hair analysis, presumptive testing of body fluids and human DNA typing. Modern DNA typing techniques are provided, reflecting real life, where not all institutions and crime labs can afford the same equipment and software. Real case studies will be used throughout.

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Technology in DNA Analysis explains and summarizes next generation sequencing (NGS) technological applications in the field of forensic DNA analysis. The book covers the transition from capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based technique to NGS platforms and the fundamentals of NGS technologies, applications, and advances. Sections provide an overview of NGS technology and forensic science, including information on processing biological samples for forensic analysis, sequence analysis, and data analysis software as well as the analysis of NGS data. The book explores the valuable applications of NGS-based forensic DNA analysis and covers the validations and interpretation guidelines of NGS workflows.

With chapter contributions from an international array of experts and the inclusion of practical case studies, this book is a useful reference for academicians and researchers in genetics, biotechnology, bioinformatics, biology, and medicine as well as forensic DNA scientists and practitioners who aim to learn, use, apply, and validate NGS-based technologies.

Chemistry/Forensic Science

Forensic chemistry is a subdiscipline of forensic science, its principles guide the analyses performed in modern forensic laboratories. Forensic chemistry’s roots lie in medico-legal investigation, toxicology and microscopy and have since led the development of modern forensic analytic techniques and practices for use in a variety of applications.

Introduction to Forensic Chemistry is the perfect balance of testing methods and application. Unlike other competing books on the market, coverage is neither too simplistic, nor overly advanced making the book ideal for use in both undergraduate and graduate courses. The book introduces chemical tests, spectroscopy, advanced spectroscopy, and chromatography to students. The second half of the book addresses applications and methods to analyze and interpret controlled substances, trace evidence, questioned documents, firearms, explosives, environmental contaminants, toxins, and other topics. The book looks at innovations in the field over time including the latest development of new discernible chemical reactions, instrumental tools, methods, and more.

Key features:

Comprehensive and accessible, without being overly technical, Introduction to Forensic Chemistry will be a welcome addition to the field and an ideal text designed for both the student user and professor in mind.

Course ancillaries including an Instructor’s Manual with Test Bank and chapter PowerPoint® lecture slides are available with qualified course adoption.

Chemistry/Forensic Science

Forensic chemistry is a subdiscipline of forensic science, its principles guide the analyses performed in modern forensic laboratories. Forensic chemistry’s roots lie in medico-legal investigation, toxicology and microscopy and have since led the development of modern forensic analytic techniques and practices for use in a variety of applications.

Introduction to Forensic Chemistry is the perfect balance of testing methods and application. Unlike other competing books on the market, coverage is neither too simplistic, nor overly advanced making the book ideal for use in both undergraduate and graduate courses. The book introduces chemical tests, spectroscopy, advanced spectroscopy, and chromatography to students. The second half of the book addresses applications and methods to analyze and interpret controlled substances, trace evidence, questioned documents, firearms, explosives, environmental contaminants, toxins, and other topics. The book looks at innovations in the field over time including the latest development of new discernible chemical reactions, instrumental tools, methods, and more.

Key features:

Comprehensive and accessible, without being overly technical, Introduction to Forensic Chemistry will be a welcome addition to the field and an ideal text designed for both the student user and professor in mind.

Course ancillaries including an Instructor’s Manual with Test Bank and chapter PowerPoint® lecture slides are available with qualified course adoption.

Next Generation Sequencing in Forensic Science: A Primer addresses next generation sequencing (NGS) specific to its application to forensic science. The first part of the book offers a history of human identity approaches, including VNTR, RFLP, STR, and SNP DNA typing. It discusses the history of sequencing for human DNA typing, including Sanger sequencing, SNaPshot, pyrosequencing, and principles of next generation sequencing. The chapters present an overview of the forensically focused AmpliSeq, ForenSeq, Precision ID, PowerSeq, and QIAseq panels for human DNA typing using autosomal, Y and X chromosome STRs and SNPs using the MiSeq FGx and Ion Torrent System. The authors outline the steps included in DNA extraction and DNA quantitation that are performed prior to preparing libraries with the NGS kits.

The second half of the book details the implementation of ForenSeq and Precision ID to amplify and tag targets to create the library, enrich targets to attach indexes and adaptors, perform library purification and normalization, pool the libraries, and load samples to the cartridge to perform the sequencing on the instrument. Coverage addresses the operation of the MiSeq FGx and Ion Chef, including creating a sample list, executing wash steps, performing NGS, understanding the run feedback files from the instrument, and troubleshooting. ForenSeq and Precision ID panel data analysis are explained, including how to analyze and interpret NGS data and output graphs and charts. The book concludes with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing and SNPs analysis, including the issue of heteroplasmy. The final chapters review forensic applications of microbial DNA, NGS in body fluid analysis, and challenges and considerations for future applications.

FEATURES

This is the first book to prepare practitioners to utilize and implement this new technology in their lab for casework, highlighting early applications of how NGS results have been used in court. The book can be utilized for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students taking courses focused on NGS concepts. Readers are expected to have a basic understanding of molecular and cellular biology and DNA typing.

Next Generation Sequencing in Forensic Science: A Primer addresses next generation sequencing (NGS) specific to its application to forensic science. The first part of the book offers a history of human identity approaches, including VNTR, RFLP, STR, and SNP DNA typing. It discusses the history of sequencing for human DNA typing, including Sanger sequencing, SNaPshot, pyrosequencing, and principles of next generation sequencing. The chapters present an overview of the forensically focused AmpliSeq, ForenSeq, Precision ID, PowerSeq, and QIAseq panels for human DNA typing using autosomal, Y and X chromosome STRs and SNPs using the MiSeq FGx and Ion Torrent System. The authors outline the steps included in DNA extraction and DNA quantitation that are performed prior to preparing libraries with the NGS kits.

The second half of the book details the implementation of ForenSeq and Precision ID to amplify and tag targets to create the library, enrich targets to attach indexes and adaptors, perform library purification and normalization, pool the libraries, and load samples to the cartridge to perform the sequencing on the instrument. Coverage addresses the operation of the MiSeq FGx and Ion Chef, including creating a sample list, executing wash steps, performing NGS, understanding the run feedback files from the instrument, and troubleshooting. ForenSeq and Precision ID panel data analysis are explained, including how to analyze and interpret NGS data and output graphs and charts. The book concludes with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing and SNPs analysis, including the issue of heteroplasmy. The final chapters review forensic applications of microbial DNA, NGS in body fluid analysis, and challenges and considerations for future applications.

FEATURES

This is the first book to prepare practitioners to utilize and implement this new technology in their lab for casework, highlighting early applications of how NGS results have been used in court. The book can be utilized for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students taking courses focused on NGS concepts. Readers are expected to have a basic understanding of molecular and cellular biology and DNA typing.

Counterfeit drugs continue to infiltrate the drug market in the United States, causing illness and death. This book addresses this issue and examines the recent trends in drug counterfeiting over the past 5-10 years. The text shows perspectives from crime lab and toxicology lab personnel and academic researchers, and includes topics such as a history of cases and issues with counterfeit drugs, trends observed in forensic labs, instrumental methods and approaches used in detecting counterfeit medicines, and policy approaches for controlling counterfeit drugs. There is a focus on ways to reduce counterfeit drugs in the market, to help improve the health and safety of people all over the world.

Features :

Counterfeit drugs continue to infiltrate the drug market in the United States, causing illness and death. This book addresses this issue and examines the recent trends in drug counterfeiting over the past 5-10 years. The text shows perspectives from crime lab and toxicology lab personnel and academic researchers, and includes topics such as a history of cases and issues with counterfeit drugs, trends observed in forensic labs, instrumental methods and approaches used in detecting counterfeit medicines, and policy approaches for controlling counterfeit drugs. There is a focus on ways to reduce counterfeit drugs in the market, to help improve the health and safety of people all over the world.

Features :

The book explores the interdisciplinary field that merges biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, and genetics to unravel the mysteries of biological evidence in forensic investigations. Delving into the core of this dynamic discipline, the book unveils how forensic biological scientists leverage a diverse range of techniques to address complex questions posed by investigative agencies.

The book meticulously covers different facets of forensic biology, from uncovering the origins of crucial body fluids to predicting the post-mortem time interval, while deciphering the cause and manner of death to individualizing biological samples. This book consolidates the latest breakthroughs in forensic biology and genetics, embracing both human and non-human DNA analyses, helpful for the forensic biological scientists. Chapters are written by researchers and practitioners from around the world.

This book serves as an indispensable resource for investigating officers, forensic scientists, medical practitioners, researchers, and students.

This textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate students discusses advancements in forensic DNA analysis since early texts were published. It presents conventional and latest serological and molecular biological methods for body fluid identification. This book also describes the applications and advantages of next-generation sequencing (NGS) compared to conventional methods in forensic DNA analysis. It also defines the growing importance, techniques, and applications for the analysis of non-human DNA in forensic sciences. Further, the book examines the role of DNA databases in forensic interpretation and criminal investigations. Towards the end, this textbook reviews the application of forensic DNA technology in analyzing real-time casework samples and presents the guidelines, ethical issues, and other challenges of forensic DNA analysis. This textbook is an essential resource for students and practitioners interested in gaining knowledge of up-to-date forensic techniques and theirapplications in forensic DNA analysis.