NNMK13003U Forensic Geobiology
The course will provide students with an introduction to the application of DNA and species identification in a forensic context, through an intensive two-week summer school. We will focus on specific interdisciplinary forensic topics including wildlife genetics, human genomics, environmental biology, geology, entomology and botany. The teaching will be a series of lectures, exercises and group presentations, which will be evaluated during the course.
When the course is completed, students will have gained insight and skills regarding the application of the following research areas in a forensic context:
- Cell biology – mitosis, meisosis, chromosomes, the central dogma
- Genetics – coding and noncoding DNA, X, Y, autosomal & mtDNA, variants (STR's, indels, SNP's), DNA structure and regulation
- Molecular biology – DNA isolation, PCR, sequencing, fragment length analysis, methylation analysis
- Population dynamics and heredity (e.g. kinship analysis)
- Genetic species and population identification
- Anthroplogy - human and other species
- Biostatistics
- Human crime case samples
- Botany
- Entomology
- Geology – soil analysis
Competences
- Discuss and critically review scientific articles
- Critically assess and analyze forensic data and present the results before an audience
Skills
- Outline the current knowledge presenting the baseline for forensic biology and geology investigations
- Describe the methodological advances and research within the different aspects of forensic biology and geology
- Describe the different types of human genomic variations and what makes them useful in a forensic context
- Describe the different disciplines encompassed by forensic GeoBiology
Knowledge
- Apply bio statistical methods used in forensic genetics
- Carry out a paternity case evaluation
- Carry out forensic case-work evaluations
Scientific articles, handbooks, manuals and protocols will be available.
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 50
- Practical exercises
- 26
- Preparation
- 100
- Project work
- 30
- Total
- 206
As
an exchange, guest and credit student - click here!
Continuing Education - click here!
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Continuous assessmentPortfolioPortfolio: Evaluation of written reports and oral presentations. 50%.
Continuous assessment: Overall assessment of exercises and participation. 50%.
The subparts do not have to be passed in the same exam period. Both of the part-exams must be passed to pass the course. - Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- passed/not passed
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
- Re-exam
- Passed subparts of the exam can be reused in a re-examination.
If the part-exam: "Continuous assesment" has not been passed, the student must follow the course again next year.
Criteria for exam assesment
In accordance with the learning outcomes.
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- NNMK13003U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- Placement
- Summer
- Schedule
- Week 34-35, 17-28 august. 2 weeks, 5 days a week, 9am-5pm.
- Course capacity
- 40
- Continuing and further education
- Study board
- Study Board of Biology and Animal Science
Contracting department
- The Natural History Museum of Denmark
Course responsibles
- Anders Johannes Hansen (8-666f6d6673786a7345787a736933707a336970)
Lecturers
Maria Asplund, Peter Johansen, Anders Johannes Hansen