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Introduction
Additional affiliations
January 2021 - present
September 2017 - present
Secure Societies Institute, University of Huddersfield
Position
- Managing Director
August 2015 - present
Publications
Publications (35)
Much research has focused on attempting to understand the drivers of bone diagenesis. However, this sensitive process is easily influenced by various factors, particularly the condition of the remains (i.e., whether they have been subjected to trauma). Previous research demonstrates that trauma can influence soft tissue decomposition, yet to date,...
The evaluation of bone diagenetic phenomena in archaeological timescales has a long history; however, little is known about the origins of the microbes driving bone diagenesis, nor about the extent of bone diagenesis in short timeframes—such as in forensic contexts. Previously, the analysis of non-collagenous proteins (NCPs) through bottom-up prote...
Decomposition of animal bodies in the burial environment plays a key role in the biochemistry of the soil, altering the balance of the local microbial populations present before the introduction of the carcass. Despite the growing number of studies on decomposition and soil bacterial populations, less is known on its effects on fungal communities....
Background One of the most debated questions in forensic science is the estimation of the post-mortem interval (PMI). Despite the large amount of research currently performed to improve the PMI estimation, there is still the need for additional improvements, particularly in cases of severely decomposed buried remains. A novel alternative to the mor...
Cadaver dogs are routinely used internationally by police and civilian search organisations to locate human remains on land and in water, yet little is currently known about the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are released by a cadaver underwater; how this compares to those given off by a cadaver deposited on land; and ultimately, how this a...
Human Taphonomy Facilities (HTFs) are outdoor laboratories where scientific research is carried out on donated human cadavers in order to understand how human decomposition progresses in a variety of conditions. There are currently eight such facilities in the USA, one in Australia and one on mainland Europe. Forensic scientists in the UK have star...
Human Taphonomy Facilities are outdoor laboratories where forensic scientists investigate and monitor the decomposition of donated human cadavers in a variety of conditions. The use of human cadavers for this purpose is potentially controversial, as opinions differ about the value of the research conducted at such facilities and the extent to which...
The estimation of the time elapsed since death (post-mortem interval, or PMI) is one of the key themes that forensic scientists have to address frequently. However, the estimation of PMI still suffers from poor accuracy and biases especially when decomposition stages are prolonged, so further improvements in methods for PMI estimation are desirable...
Significance:
The estimation of the post-mortem interval has a key role in forensic investigations, however nowadays it still suffers from poor reliability, especially when bodies are heavily decomposed. Here we proposed for the first time the application of bone proteomics to the estimation of the time elapsed from death, and we found some new po...
Aims:
Bacteria are considered one of the major driving forces of the mammalian decomposition process and have only recently been recognised as forensic tools. At this point, little is known about their potential use as 'post-mortem clocks'. This study aimed to establish the proof of concept for using bacterial identification as post-mortem interva...
The establishment of the human taphonomic facility helped drive the interest in human decomposition and boosted the term taphonomy into the forensic science arena. Discussions of human taphonomy began to appear in the forensic literature based upon observations made at the University of Tennessee facility. Forensic taphonomic research within the Un...
This chapter collates the most appropriate approaches from current forensic anthropology teaching practices from around the United Kingdom and internationally. The basic techniques of forensic anthropology can be taught with modern technologies such as 3D laser scanning, digitisation of remains and public access online, as well as 3D laser printing...
This chapter considers the 'where are we now' aspect of forensic science education and training. Despite the rhythms and reflective cycle that academia requires, it is surprising how little time the on-the-ground academics and practitioners involved in education and training get to truly reflect upon the curriculum and assessment of what they deliv...
Online teaching aids can foster a habit of collaboration and developing team working skills, which are invaluable when it comes to elusive employment in forensic science. There are a plethora of online and institutional learning tools for universities with such examples as Blackboard and Moodle, and online learning management systems (LMS) designed...
This chapter explores the pedagogical advantages and disadvantages of the use of virtual tools in the anatomy laboratory environment for forensic science education. Teaching pathology and forensic pathology is an essential aspect in the forensic science curriculum and yet it is not widely taught in the United Kingdom. With the emerging presence of...
This chapter explores the impact and implications of the new teaching exercise framework (TEF) and the future of the research exercise framework (REF) for forensic science education. It also considers the current and future for wide-ranging discussions about, and dissemination of, good practice in teaching, learning and assessment in forensic scien...
Some genetic functions seem to carry on after animals die. Anna Williams reports
In homicide investigations, it is critically important that postmortem interval and postburial interval (PBI) of buried victims are determined accurately. However, clandestine graves can be difficult to locate; and the detection rates for a variety of search methods (ranging from simple ground probing through to remote imaging and near-surface geop...
Extracting viable DNA from many forensic sample types can be very challenging, as environmental conditions may be far from optimal with regard to DNA preservation. Consequently, skeletal tissue can often be an invaluable source of DNA. The bone matrix provides a hardened material that encapsulates DNA, acting as a barrier to environmental insults t...
This paper provides an overview of current collaborative academic forensic geophysics research on various U.K. test sites to detail the importance of forensic simulated burial sites for forensic search investigators. Academic forensic test sites contain a variety of buried material objects that have been buried for various periods. The team also ha...
Determination of age-at-death (AAD) is an important and frequent requirement in contemporary forensic science and in the reconstruction of past populations and societies from their remains. Its estimation is relatively straightforward and accurate (±3yr) for immature skeletons by using morphological features and reference tables within the context...
This case study reports on DNA analysis from different skeletal elements of an individual recovered 2 years after going missing in the English Channel. Selected bones were also re-submerged for an additional 2 years and re-analysed. By comparing results from both time points, this study concludes that high-load-bearing bones, particularly the bones...
Eyewitnesses are often invited to construct a facial composite, an image created of the person they saw commit a crime that is used by law enforcement to locate criminal suspects. In the current paper, the effectiveness of composite images was investigated from traditional feature systems (E-FIT and PRO-fit), where participants (face constructors)...
There are many published formulae for assessing the post-mortem interval (PMI) of a cadaver, but few studies which take juveniles into consideration, with no two formulae reaching the same conclusions. This talk is a condensation of research that examines and compares the accuracy and applicability of Vass’ (2011) and Megyesi et al (2005) formulae...
Clay or computerised facial reconstructions are often presented to the public for recognition without information about the external features of a head (hair, ears and neck) as these are thought to be potentially distracting or even misleading. In this context, the mechanisms of face recognition are poorly understood, but existing research using ph...
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from skeletal tissue can be invaluable in genetic profiling applications, as it is often the only source available. Like all forensic samples, skeletal tissue may have been exposed to a variety of environmental insults, including heat. This study has focussed upon characterising changes in the material properti...
In light of the increasing threat of an avian flu pandemic in the UK, the Home Office have been investigating a range of methods
for managing the potential problem of excess deaths that could exceed the capabilities of existing burial and funeral facilities.
There is currently unprecedented pressure on the Government to find an environmentally, eth...