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LFTDI M.S. Students Present Their Thesis Research

OPEN FORUM: SCI 114 (Chemistry Conference Room).

On Thursday April 25th at 3pm, come see Amanda present her work on: DEVELOPING A FORENSICALLY RELEVANT SINGLE-CELL INTERPRETATION STRATEGY FOR HUMAN IDENTIFICATION.
In this work Amanda demonstrates that single-cell signal is fundamentally different than signal acquired from bulk-processing, signifying new interpretation constructs are needed for forensically relevant single-cell signal.

On Monday April 29th at 5pm, come see Laura present her work on: STABILIZING INFORMATION CONTENT IN DNA EVIDENCE FOR IMPROVED LAB-TO-LAB INFERENCE
Laura shows that the information content in forensic electropherograms (EPGs) can drastically be improved by applying a simulation-experimental based approach. She then applies these improved post-PCR laboratory parameters to  optimize the pre-PCR process.

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LFTDI Part-time Job Opening for M.S. Students: Research Assistant

M.S.-level Job Description:

  • M.S. level Part-time Research Assistant open to all Plan A (thesis-track) enrolled M.S. or 4th-Year B.S./M.S. Students in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology or Forensic Sciences.
  • Starts Fall 2019.
  • $12/hour; flexible 15-20 hours/week.
  • Up to 2 years.
  • Data may be used toward M.S. thesis, if applicable.
  • Training in and duties include, nucleic acid extraction, qPCR, PCR, dPCR, Capillary Electrophoresis, Next-Generation Sequencing and Data Analysis.
  • Preferred candidates will have taken, or plan to take, courses in Biochemistry, Bio-analytical/Molecular Biology, Statistics & Genetics.
  • Send C.V. to Dr. Catherine Grgicak at c.grgicak@rutgers.edu, if interested by April 30th, 2019.
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LFTDI student Amanda Gonzalez receives the AAFS/FSF Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Grant

Amanda is the recipient of the Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Grant, which includes funding for her single-cell forensic research and travel to present her work at AAFS. The award is also accompanied by a plaque presented at the 2019 AAFS Criminalistics Section Business Meeting, Wednesday, February 20, 2019.

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ISHI 2018 Workshop on Systems Thinking and Forensic DNA Validation with Drs. Butler, Cotton, Grgicak and Word

This workshop introduces systems thinking with demonstrations on applying a systems approach to forensic DNA mixture interpretation, optimization and validation. Topics to be covered include validation of the DNA interpretation pipeline containing probabilistic genotyping software, focusing on current and forthcoming OSAC/ASB and SWGDAM mixture interpretation validation and verification standards and guidelines. Also included will be a review of published literature with discussions on the foundational validity of mixture interpretation and the impact of laboratory accreditation. Future directions for improving front end processing steps will also be discussed.
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LFTDI Article on Estimating the Number of Contributors using Allele Counting Published in Legal Medicine

Drs. Grgicak and Lun along with Sarah E. Norsworthy publish an article entitled “Determining the number of contributors to DNA mixtures in the low-template regime: Exploring the impacts of sampling and detection effects” in Legal Medicine (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.legalmed.2018.02.001). 

We show that capturing all of the information has positive impacts on inference while allele counting methods lead to underestimations.

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