The increase in the number and diversity of drugs of abuse is a major concern; it also presents significant challenges for forensic laboratories who are involved in the analysis of seized substances and are under time pressure to produce results quickly.  Most forensic drug chemistry laboratories follow SWGDRUG recommendations which stipulate that two independent techniques should be used to analyze a drug sample.  A typical workflow may include colorimetric or TLC presumptive analysis followed up by a more selective method such as GC/MS .  However,  for many drugs, colorimetric tests are not available or result in a high rate of false positives and TLC analysis can be time consuming. Infrared screening methods are also commonly used but these can also produce inconclusive results when analyzing drug mixtures. There is a need for a quick means of analysis to provide a more detailed screen result prior to a confirmatory test. A technique with high selectivity and rapid analysis could potentially improve the workflow for seized drug analysis. Samples are analyzed directly, with minimal sample preparation and collision induced fragmentation is used to generate both precursor and product ions utilizing in-source fragmentation. The data is processed by Live ID software which facilitates near-real-time matching of acquired data to a spectral library and determines the average match factor.  Results are provided in around one minute per sample.  The RADIAN ASAP uses the specificity of mass spectrometry for improved drug identification and enables a rapid triage of samples and depending on the nature of the sample can be considered either a Category A or B technique when following SWGDRUG guidelines. This presentation will discuss the design features of the RADIAN ASAP mass spectrometer system that make it particularly suitable for seized drug analysis.  An explanation of the ionization process will be discussed, and examples of data will be presented from both ‘pure’ drugs and drug mixtures.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how direct ionization analysis can aid the forensic chemist

2. Learn how the RADIAN ASAP system characterizes seized drug substances

3. Learn how the RADIAN ASAP system minimizes sample preparation required for analysis

This talk will start with an introduction to a number of illicit benzodiazepines that have appeared in North East England over the last couple of years. This will be followed by an overview of the GABA-A receptor and its possible central role in the toxic effects of a number of CNS depressant drugs. Attention will move to pregabalin (and gabapentin) and their toxicity, which is becoming more apparent as time progresses. This will include some details of their receptor in the CNS and their modulatory effects on other CNS transmitter systems. I will also include some details of the detection method (using HRMS and LC-MS/MS) and planned improvements for this year.

Learning Objectives:

1. The variety of benzodiazepine molecules in circulation and their effects

2. Interaction of the gabapentinoids with other drugs affecting the CNS

3. Benzodiazepine and gabapentinoid receptor basics

The success in the solving cases is based upon a system that emphasizes teamwork, from scene; recognition, collection, preservation, to laboratory; examination, identification , individualization, and to court;  testifying, interpretation, and reconstruction of the forensic evidence. If potential physical evidence is not recognized, collected, or properly preserved, the value of the physical evidence will forever lost.  Numerous day-to-day and high-profile cases have demonstrated the harsh reality that, despite the availability of current analytical technologies, specialized equipment, and sophisticated forensic testing. However, forensic scientists do not usually decide the extent of forensic evidence analyzed or its use in a civil or criminal case. Ultimately, it is the police officers, detectives, crime scene technicians that usually complete the crime scene search and begin the forensic investigation stages of an investigation. After the investigation is completed and during the pretrial or initial litigation stages, the prosecution and defense counsels determine which physical evidence will be utilized.  forensic scientist must be prepared not only to present evidence to the court, but also to explain how the evidence was tested, what techniques were used, the error rates and standards of operation, and anything else the judge might need to know. As always, ethics and truthfulness are of utmost importance when testifying under oath in a court of law. Forensic scientists must present all the facts to the court in an objective and fair manner. During the trial or adjudication stages, the judge determines the admissibility of the forensic evidence. There is no guarantee that any of these parties who are part of the evidentiary process will sufficiently understand the potential of forensic evidence.  It is also a rare, but possible, reality that some of these individuals possess questionable integrity or character. It is also possible that the direct or crossing examination of Forensic witness are unfair and unreasonable types personal attacks. Therefore, training, education and standardization of forensic investigation are all critical for the improvement of forensic services in judicial system. As a greater number of police, forensic scientists, attorneys, Judges and general public  acquire correct information about the value and limitation in forensic science and new technologies, the quality of examination of forensic evidence should continue to improve. The result would be to make forensic science even more valuable and to maintain the high quality of justice that this society deserves. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Knowledge of history, development, and the status of forensic evidence

2. Understand the Scientific Issues, Expert Issues, Discovery issues and the Admissibility Issues of forensic evidence

3. Learn the Legal Standards, role of evidence, Frye vs Dauber and Federal Rule702

4. Learn the scientific theory, technique falsifiable, refutable, by using empirical testing methods

5. Learn the common tactics used by lawyers to attack scientific expert and the serving skill in court

Genealogist have long supported the legal system through probate work, heir searching, and by identifying next-of-kin of servicemen. Even though DNA was first introduced to genealogists over 20 years ago, it has only been recently that genetic genealogy has been applied to forensic identification. The first known case successfully solved using forensic genealogy was the 1992-1993 Phoenix Canal Murders, solved in 2015 by comparing a Y-profile from a crime scene to online public genetic genealogy databases to obtain the surname of the killer. This was possible because the Y-STR markers used by the genetic genealogy community for researching family pedigrees were the same as those developed for forensic Y-STR amplification kits. More recent cases like Buckskin Girl and the Golden State Killer have been solved using autosomal SNP testing, similar to what is provided by direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies such as Ancestry.com. Because DTC companies refuse to accept forensic cases, it has been necessary to create autosomal SNP datasets using private laboratories, and to search for matches using Gedmatch, a public genetic genealogy database. This has created issues for the both the forensic and genealogical communities. SNP testing was borrowed from the biomedical industry so that forensically accredited laboratories are unable to produce the required SNP data. This has raised legal questions concerning the use of private labs and crowd-sourced genealogical data that is not as the result of peer-reviewed scientific research. Genetic genealogists are also divided in their opinions about law enforcement use of their personal data. This talk discusses how genetic genealogy developed into a tool for forensic identification. It also presents its limitations and capabilities, along with the more important issues faced by the legal system and the genealogical community in their efforts to work together to balance the privacy of the individual with the requirements of public safety.

Learning Objectives:

1. To understand the development of genetic genealogy as a forensic tool

2. To understand the basic forensic genetic genealogy identification methodology

3. To review practical forensic genetic genealogical case studies

Research on decomposition odor has evolved significantly since the first introduction of this concept in the literature in 2004. This work is foundational to understanding several areas of forensic science, including insect attraction to human remains, cadaver-detection canine response, disaster recovery, missing persons search strategies, and more. Some researchers have also commented on the potential to use this information for developing handheld decomposition sensors, for estimating postmortem interval, and to identify cadaveric status in a non-invasive way at autopsy. Preliminary work in this area focused predominantly on identifying compounds at specific time points during decomposition. Since then, studies have taken a more comprehensive look at the factors influencing the development of decomposition odor over the entire course of decomposition. This talk will provide an overview of study designs used in preliminary work on decomposition odor and the progression of study designs to date. The progression of analytical strategies from one-dimensional methods to multidimensional separations will also be discussed, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of different techniques based on the study hypothesis. Finally, the major limitations placed on the progression of this research during the COVID-19 pandemic will also be discussed, including challenges such as mobility, supplies, facility access, funding access, personnel, and technical support.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain how decomposition odor is used in forensic science

2. Identify the components of effective research design for decomposition odor research

3. Evaluate the choice of analytical technique based on a research goal

The detection and analysis of traces for the purpose of providing clues in criminal investigations has a rich history that dates back to the mid-18th Century.  Traces are remnants of past events that provide both associative and investigative information, however the quality and quantity of information that can be obtained from their interrogation depends on both the tools (or instruments) being used and the expertise of the examiner.  The traditional tool of light microscopy provides valuable physical and optical properties of a material that can aid in its identification and comparison.  When paired with instrumental methods for chemical analysis, most notably in the forms of infrared and Raman microspectroscopy, a plethora of valuable information can be obtained from a range of traces. Further, new developments in instrumentation, such as morphologically-directed Raman spectroscopy (MDRS), particle-correlated Raman spectroscopy (PCRS) and simultaneous Optical Photothermal Infrared & Raman (O-PTIR+R) microspectroscopy, have enabled more information to be obtained from the analysis of complex samples than could be previously obtained.  This presentation will demonstrate the interrogating power of these new tools for the analysis of a range of samples of forensic interest, including illicit and counterfeit drugs, soils, gunshot residue (GSR), hoax white powders, and automotive paint.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the variety of traces that deliver valuable associative and investigative information for forensic inquiries

2. Discuss new developments in instrumentation, including MDRS, PCRS and O-PTIR+R.

3. Understand the added value provided when traces are analyzed with MDRS, PCRS and O-PTIR+R

Every day in America nearly seven thousand people die.  That’s about two and a half million deaths per year.  When a death is violent, unexpected, medically unattended, or suspicious – which occurs in about one-quarter to one-third of cases – it becomes necessary to determine whether the death was due to foul play.  A specially trained physician, known as medical examiner or forensic pathologist, is asked to perform an autopsy to inspect the body externally and internally, and to issue a report that can close or open it to the legal system for criminal prosecution.  Despite the many death cases to probe, fewer than five hundred forensic pathologists are trained and certified in the U.S.

A. Suspected Crime Scene Investigation 

1. Forensic Pathologist
2. Criminalist
3. Forensic Photographer
4. Homicide Detective

B. Identification, Collection, and Preservation of Evidence

C. Performance of Autopsy by Forensic Pathologist Gross and Microscopic Examination of Body Organs and Tissues Autopsy Photographs Collection of relevant biological specimens for toxicological analysis and other studies

D. Correlation of Autopsy Findings with Medical Records, and Police Investigative Reports

E. Completion of Post-Mortem Protocol

Assessing the manner of death is the next step for the forensic pathologist, who selects one of five choices:  homicide, suicide, accident, natural, or undetermined.  This declaration is prominently displayed on the autopsy report and becomes part of the official record that family members, and often the news media, have access to. While it may take a few weeks for all the test results to come in, the autopsy doctor may share preliminary information with law enforcement, even though the office of the medical examiner should wholly independent from police and prosecutors. Letting authorities know that someone died at the hands of another person ensures public safety by allowing a criminal investigation to be started swiftly.  If someone is arrested for murder, prosecutors and defense attorneys will receive the completed autopsy information prior to the defendant’s trial, and the forensic pathologist will be a critical witness in the courtroom.

Learning Objectives:

1. To understand what official medicolegal investigation is about

2. Identify how these procedures are accomplished

In this session, a review of the impact of COVID-19 on the Forensic Science Program at the University of Toronto will be explored.  Challenges for both undergraduate and graduate education will be discussed within the context of general forensic programming at the University/College level. Looking to the future, solutions-based ideas will be presented with an opportunity for participant reflection and participation as it relates to institutional-specific approaches to forensic pedagogy and academic research.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand unique agency/institutional challenges in pedagogy and research for forensic science programs

2. Discover how UTM has pivoted to increase virtual/remote learning in an innovative and interactive way in order to compensate for lack of on-campus experiences

3. Explore next steps and future directions for valuable educational approaches as the undergraduate and graduate levels for forensic science education and research

When violent crimes are committed, the crime scene is usually covered with blood.  Blood may be shed when the person is standing, sitting, or on the ground.  The weapon that caused blood to be released influences the shape of the bloodstains that form, as do many other factors.  Much more obscure are the ‘bloodstains’ dispersed about a crime scene that actually are not bloodstains at all; they are insect stains or artifacts.  Stains produced by insects, usually flies, are created by a multitude of mechanisms; at least ten that we know of.  When intermixed with real bloodstains, fly stains can be incredibly challenging if not impossible to recognize.  Why does that matter?  For one, patterns of blood can reveal directionality, especially important during reconstruction of the blood shed event.  The size and shape of bloodstains reveal details about how the stains were created.  Blood also contains DNA of either the victim or assailant.  Fly stains can provide false information about any of these parameters if confused as true bloodstains. It is even possible that insect artifacts introduce DNA to a crime scene from someone not associated with the crime.  Thus, it is absolutely essential to be able to distinguish insect stains from true bloodstains.  This conference is focused on pattern evidence created by flies at crime scenes.  We will examine how and when fly stains are formed on different materials, and within the context of the types of tissues and fluids associated with a corpse.  We will also discuss how to recognize the presence of insect artifacts and tools currently available for crime scene investigators to reliably identify insect stains under different contexts.  Ultimately, the information will help to recognize the presence of insect artifacts and avoid confusion with true bloodstains.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the difference between insect stains and fly artifacts.

2. Understand the challenges in detection and distinction of fly stains from true bloodstains.

3. Describe the methodology available for recognition of fly stains at crime scenes.

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are gold-standard genetic loci used for source attribution of evidentiary material in legal matters. Their power lies in their high heterozygosity and large allele spread. Commercially available STR assays leverage linkage disequilibrium (LD)-independent STRs (i.e., alleles at one STR are not correlated with alleles another STR) to calculate the product of allele frequencies in a population. The result of the product rule is a random match probability (RMP) describing the rarity of the observed alleles in an STR profile in the context of some reference population. In collaboration with Dr. Nicole Novroski, our team is addressing two major STR limitations using recent advances in genomics and computational biology. First, the size of STR amplicons prohibits genotyping from degraded substrates such as human remains – we leveraged the LD structure of the genome to predict unobserved forensically relevant STR genotypes from identity-informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We present a bioinformatic workflow for predicting STRs and the resulting population genetic parameters to evaluate reliability of predicted genotypes. Second, mixed STR profiles are a major obstacle to the forensic DNA practitioner due, in part, to the robustness and advances of modern STR assays to detect low level contributors. We simulated 200 populations modeled from four United States population groups using the forensim R package resulting in 155,400 individuals (27 STRs per individual). Across 200 populations, we frequently observed evidence of residual population stratification detected by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium deviations and substantial allele frequency differences. In 2,400 mixed DNA profiles (2-, 3-, and 4-person) we show that variation in allele frequency across simulated populations significantly altered likelihood ratios (LRs) from 2-person mixtures but did not influence 3- or 4-person mixtures. Our findings demonstrate that studying STRs in a forensic context can be (i) cost-effective for early career researchers, (ii) extremely well powered due to almost no upper limit for sample size, and (iii) provides novel insights into the behavior of STR mixtures.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe two major limitations of loci used for source attribution (e.g., SNPs and STRs)

2. Compare and contrast the benefits and limitations of simulated data in forensic science research

3. Explain how population genetics concepts apply to forensic DNA casework and research

The postmortem microbiome is an emerging field in forensic science with broad application for death investigation (e.g., time since death). While the foundation for forensic microbiology began in the early 2000s, resulting from bioterrorism threats, the expansion of using entire microbial communities (the microbial organisms, their genes, and their gene functions) in a forensic context began in the early 2010s. Improvements in molecular approaches over the past twenty years to study the microbiome in medical fields have revealed the power and potential use of microbial diversity as a means to explore the associations of microorganisms with human health of living individuals. Researchers within forensic sciences adopted these technologies to determine if and how the postmortem microbiome could be used to aid death investigation. The importance of the human microbiome and its function in health during life is well known. However, few studies characterize the dynamics of the postmortem human microbiota from samples collected during real-world death investigation. Here, we discuss the on-going results from an extensive database of microbial samples with a focus on a major metropolitan urban city. Microbial taxonomic profiles from routine death investigation cases were generated through targeted amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA). The goal of this project is to provide a robust dataset of postmortem microbial communities. In the future, these data will advance death investigation by identifying specific microbial taxa or signatures of importance for application in forensic sciences and beyond.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define and discuss the variability of human microbiomes after death, as determined from samples collected during routine death investigation.

2. Use bioinformatic tools to identify potential signatures of postmortem microbiomes associated with circumstances of death.

3. Discuss the future of postmortem microbiomes in forensic sciences and other applied sciences, such as public health.

The increasing use of prescription and non-medical prescription opioids has created a significant public health crisis. The rising rate of opioid-related deaths across North America has led to a proliferation of opioids in forensic casework and increased the workload for forensic toxicology laboratories. In addition, increased availability of illicit fentanyl, fentanyl analogues including carfentanil, and other novel synthetic opioids such as U-47700, has created many challenges for forensic toxicology laboratories. Methods capable of detecting and quantitating new compounds must be established despite limited information on toxicologically relevant concentrations. The collaboration between forensic toxicology laboratories and public health organizations can be a critical tool in guiding public safety and public health decisions to help address this significant healthcare crisis. This presentation will provide an overview on the challenges the opioid crisis has had on forensic toxicologists and how the timely detection of novel opioids and/or regional trends in drug use can provide valuable information for public health organizations.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define the opioid crisis

2. Identify different types of opioids that are observed in forensic toxicology laboratories

3. Explain challenges for forensic toxicologists in identifying and interpreting opioid concentrations in forensic casework