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The Eberly College of Science

Contributions to the Forensic Community

Publications

Our students, both graduate and undergraduate, and faculty contribute to the greater understanding of forensics in the scientific community by publishing the findings of their research.

Graduate Student Publications

  • Impact of DNA degradation on massively parallel sequencing-based autosomal STR, iiSNP and mitochondrial DNA typing systems. EI Zavala, S Rajagopal, GH Perry, I Kruzic, Z Basic, TJ Parsons, MM Holland (2019) International Journal of Legal Medicine, online version published on 2 July 2019 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02110-4)
  • Recovery of mtDNA from unfired metallic ammunition components with an assessment of sequence profile quality and DNA damage through MPS analysis. MM Holland, RM Bonds, CA Holland, JA McElhoe (2019) Forensic Science InternationalGenetics, 39, pp. 86-96 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2018.12.008)
  • Assessing heteroplasmic variant drift in the mtDNA control region of human hairs using an MPS approach. JM Gallimore, JA McElhoe, MM Holland (2018) Forensic Science InternationalGenetics, 32, pp. 7-17 (https://doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2017.09.013)
  • MPS analysis of the mtDNA hypervariable regions on the MiSeq with improved enrichment, MM Holland, LA Wilson, S Copeland, G Dimick, CA Holland, R Bever, JA McElhoe (2017) International Journal of Legal Medicine, 131, pp. 919-931. (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00414-017-1530-9)
  • Considering DNA damage when interpreting mtDNA heteroplasmy in deep sequencing data, MM Rathbun, JA McElhoe, W Parson, MM Holland (2017) Forensic Science InternationalGenetics, 26, pp. 1-11. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2016.09.008)
  • “The white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor reduces the estrogenic activity of a mixture of emerging contaminants in wastewater treatment plant effluent”, Shreve, M. J., Brockman, A., Hartleb, M., Prebihalo, S., Dorman, F. L., and Brennan, R. A. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, (2016), 109, 132-140. DOI.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2016.01.018.
  •  “Determination of Pesticide Residues on Organic and Non-organic Fruits and Vegetables” Ashley Gates, Chris Solloway, Elizabeth Humston-Fulmer, Joe Binkley, Jessica Westland and Frank L. Dorman, Submitted for publication in: LC/GC Europe, July 2015.
  • Cultural inter-population differences do not reflect biological distances: an example of interdisciplinary analysis of populations from Eastern Adriatic coast, Z Basic, AR Fox, I Anteric, I Jerkovic, O Polasek, S Andelinovic, MM Holland, D Primorac (2015) Croatian Medical Journal, 56, pp. 230-238. (10.3325/cmj.2015.56.230)
  •   “Evaluating a groundwater supply contamination incident attributed to Marcellus Shale gas development”, Garth T. Llewellyn, Frank Dorman, J. L. Westland, D. Yoxtheimer, Paul Grieve, Todd Sowers, E. Humston-Fulmer, and Susan L. Brantley, PNAS, (2015), 112 (20),  6325–6330. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1420279112
  • “Determination of emerging contaminants in wastewater utilizing comprehensive two-dimensional gas-chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry” Sarah Prebihalo, Adrienne Brockman, Jack Cochran, Frank L. Dorman, J. Chromatogr. A., (2015), 1419, 109-115. DOI.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2015.09.080
  • “Improved Micromachined Column Design and Fluidic Interconnects for Programmed High-Temperature Gas Chromatography Separations”, David Gaddes; Jessica Westland; Frank L Dorman and Srinivas Tadigadapa, J. Chromatogr. A., (2014), 1349,  96–104. DOI:10.1016/j.chroma.2014.04.087
  • “Analysis of Synthetic Cathinone Street Samples Using DSA-TOFMS”, Frank L. Dorman, Amanda Leffler, Noelle Elliot and Carl Schwarz, Current Trends in Mass Spectrometry, (2014)32(7), s8-s15.
  • “Environmental Forensic Investigation for Identifying Sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Stream”, Melinda T-N. Pham and Frank L. Dorman, Environmental Forensics: Proceedings of the 2013 INEF Conference, (2014), 98-116. DOI:10.1039/9781782628347-00098
  • “The Analytical Investigation of Synthetic Street Drugs Containing Cathinone Analogs”, Amanda M. Leffler, Adriana de Armas, Philip B. Smith and Frank L. Dorman J. Forensic Science International, (2014), 234(1), 50-56. DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.08.021.
  •  “Comparison of SPME and Static Headspace Analysis of Blood Alcohol Concentration Utilizing Two Novel Chromatographic Stationary Phases”, Jessica Westland and Frank L. Dorman, J. Forensic Science International(2013), 231(1-3), E50-E56. DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.05.007
  • "The Evaluation of Fatty Acid Ratios in Latent Fingermarks by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) Analysis”, Seth Michalski, Robert Shaler, Frank L. Dorman, J. of Forensic Sci., (2013), 58(S1), S215–S220. DOI:10.1111/1556-4029.12010.
  • “QuEChERS Extraction of Benzodiazepines in Biological Matrices”, Jessica Westland and Frank L. Dorman, J. of Pharmaceutical Analysis(2013), 3(6), 509-517. DOI:10.1016/j.jpha.2013.04.00
  • “Evaluation of lifetime and analytical performance of gas chromatographic inlet septa for analysis of reactive semivolatile organic compounds”, Jessica Westland, Kari Organtini, Frank L. Dorman, J. of Chromatography. A, (2012), 1239(25), 72–77.
  • Second Generation Sequencing Allows for mtDNA Mixture Deconvolution and High Resolution Detection of Heteroplasmy, MM Holland, M McQuillan, KA O’Hanlon (2011) Croatian Medical Journal, 52, pp. 299-313.DOI:10.3325/cmj.2011.52.299

 

Undergraduate Student Publications

  • Impact of DNA degradation on massively parallel sequencing-based autosomal STR, iiSNP and mitochondrial DNA typing systems. EI Zavala, S Rajagopal, GH Perry, I Kruzic, Z Basic, TJ Parsons, MM Holland (2019) International Journal of Legal Medicine, online version published on 2 July 2019 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02110-4)
  • “The Combination of Spectroscopy, Microscopy, and Profilometry Methods for the Physical and Chemical Characterization of Environmentally Relevant Microplastics”, Kyra Murrell, Christine Ghetu and Frank Dorman, Analytical Methods, (2018), 10, 4909 – 4916 DOI: 10.1039/C8AY01826J
  • Evaluation of GeneMarker® HTS for improved alignment of mtDNA MPS data, haplotype determination, and heteroplasmy assessment. MM Holland, E Pack, JA McElhoe (2017) Forensic Science InternationalGenetics, 28, pp. 90-98. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2017.01.016)
  • Evaluation of the RapidHIT™ 200, an automated human identification system for STR analysis of single source samples, M Holland, F Wendt (2015) Forensic Science International: Genetics, 14, pp. 76-85. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2014.08.010)
  • “Quantitative Analysis of Mixed Halogen Dioxins and Furans in Fire Debris Utilizing Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Gas Chromatography-Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry” Kari L. Organtini, Anne L. Myers, Karl J. Jobst, Eric J. Reiner, Brian Ross, Adam Ladak, Lauren Mullin, Douglas Stevens, and Frank L. Dorman, Anal. Chem., (2015), 87 (20), 10368–10377. DOI.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.5b02463
  • “Uncertainty of Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Results as Related to Instrumental Conditions: Optimization and Robustness of BAC Analysis Parameters”, Haleigh Boswell and Frank L. Dorman, Chromatography, (2015), 2, 691-708. DOI:10.3390/chromatography2040691
  • “Comparison of Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Gas Chromatography-Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry to Traditional High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Identification and Quantification of Halogenated Dioxins and Furans”, Kari L. Organtini, Liad Haimovici, Karl J. Jobst, Eric J. Reiner, Adam Ladak, Douglas Stevens, Jack W. Cochran, and Frank L. Dorman, Anal. Chem., (2015), 87 (15), 7902–7908. DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b01705
  • “Comprehensive characterization of the halogenated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran contents of residential fire debris using comprehensive two -dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time of flight mass spectrometry”, Kari L. Organtini, Anne L. Myers, Karl J. Jobst, Jack Cochran, Brian McCarry, Eric J. Reiner and Frank L. Dorman, J. Chromatogr. A., (2014), 1369, 138-146. DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2014.09.088
  • “Complementary non-targeted and targeted mass spectrometry techniques to determine bioaccumulation of halogenated contaminants in freshwater species”, Myers, Anne; Watson, Trudy; Jobst, Karl; Shen, Li; Besevic, Sladjana; Organtini, Kari; Dorman, Frank; Mabury, Scott; Reiner, Eric, Environ. Sci. Technol., (2014), 48 (23), 13844–13854. DOI: 10.1021/es503090s
  • “Evaluation of lifetime and analytical performance of gas chromatographic inlet septa for analysis of reactive semivolatile organic compounds”, Jessica Westland, Kari Organtini, Frank L. Dorman, J. of Chromatography. A, (2012), 1239(25), 72–77.

*These are partial lists of publications with students listed as authors. To see full lists of publications, check our the faculty links on the bottom of the page.

Presentations

Our students, both graduate and undergraduate, and faculty contribute to the greater understanding of forensics in the scientific community by publishing the findings of their original research.

Graduate Student Presentations

  • Smale A, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW. An analytical approach used for the detection of gunshot residue in a case of canicide. International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association, St. Petersburg, FL, 2019.
  • Murali S, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. Comparison of drip and contact transfer bloodstains on fabrics. Emirates International Forensic Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2018.

  • Dougher MC, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW, Diaczuk PJ. The effects of varying decomposition settings on powder stippling patterns on skin. AAFS, Seattle, WA, 2018.

  • Dougher MC, Fox H, Brooks JW, Diaczuk P, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. Methods to identify gunshot residue (GSR) pattern evidence on decomposed skin. 2018 Impression, Pattern and Trace Evidence Symposium, Alexandria, VA, 2018.

  • Hovingh JE, Bender AJ, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. Practical techniques for the enhancement of textile impressions in vehicle surface coatings. AAFS, Baltimore, MD, 2019.
  • Bender AJ, Hovingh JE, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. The use of optical profilometry to characterize fabric impressions in vehicle surfaces. AAFS, Baltimore, MD, 2019. 
  • Hovingh J, Bender AJ, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. Enhancement of textile impressions in vehicle surfaces. NEAFS, Bolton Landing, NY, 2018.
  • Hovingh J, Bender A, Downey RE, MacKenzie A, Tattersall T, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. An investigation of the factors necessary to produce three-dimensional fabric impressions in automotive finishes. 2018 Impression, Pattern and Trace Evidence Symposium, Alexandria, VA, 2018.
  • Hovingh J, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Downey RE, Schwartz T. An investigation of the effect of varying impact force on the formation of three-dimensional fabric impressions in automotive finishes. Eastern Analytical Symposium and Exposition, Princeton, NJ, 2017.

  • Dougher MC, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW, Diaczuk P. Factors influencing the identification of gunshot residue (GSR) and powder tattooing patterns on decomposed skin. NEAFS, Pocono Manor, PA, 2017.

  • Hovingh J, Downey RE, Bender A, MacKenzie A, Tattersall T, Schwartz T, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. An investigation of the effect of varying impact force on the formation of three-dimensional fabric impressions in automotive finishes. NEAFS, Pocono Manor, PA, 2017.

  • Sandquist RK, Weiss CA, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW. Assessment and optimization of chemical-based contrast enhancement techniques on mammalian pelts for shooting distance estimation. ACS Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting, Hershey, PA, 2017.

  • Weiss CA, Sandquist RK, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW. Assessment and optimization of contrast enhancement techniques on mammalian pelts for shooting distance estimation. International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association, New York, NY, 2017.

  • Weiss CA, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW. Shooting distance estimation using gunshot residue (GSR) on mammalian pelts. AAFS, New Orleans, LA, 2017.

  • Downey R, Rado Z, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Moorehead W, Schwartz T. An investigation of factors affecting the formation of 3D fabric imprint patterns in automotive finishes. AAFS, New Orleans, LA, 2017.

  • Weiss CA, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW. Shooting distance estimation using gunshot residue on mammalian pelts. Eastern Analytical Symposium and Exposition, Somerset, NJ, 2016.

  • Downey R, Rado Z, Moorehead W, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Schwartz T. Investigation of factors affecting formation of three-dimensional fabric imprint patterns in automotive finishes. NEAFS, Atlantic City, NJ, 2016.

  • Weiss CA, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW. Shooting distance estimation using gunshot residue on mammalian pelts. NEAFS, Atlantic City, NJ, 2016.

  • Brooks JW, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Gronchi I, O’Brien S, Lyman M, Mantz K, Weiss C. Estimating shooting distance in gunshot wounds to animals. American College of Veterinary Pathologists and American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology Combined Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, 2015.

Undergraduate Student Presentations

  • Hovingh JE, Bender AJ, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. Practical techniques for the enhancement of textile impressions in vehicle surface coatings. AAFS, Baltimore, MD, 2019.
  • Bender AJ, Hovingh JE, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. The use of optical profilometry to characterize fabric impressions in vehicle surfaces. AAFS, Baltimore, MD, 2019. 
  • Hovingh J, Bender A, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. Enhancement of textile impressions in vehicle surfaces. NEAFS, Bolton Landing, NY, 2018.
  • Hovingh J, Bender A, Downey RE, MacKenzie A, Tattersall T, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. An investigation of the factors necessary to produce three-dimensional fabric impressions in automotive finishes. 2018 Impression, Pattern and Trace Evidence Symposium, Alexandria, VA, 2018.

  • Hovingh J, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Downey RE, Schwartz T. An investigation of the effect of varying impact force on the formation of three-dimensional fabric impressions in automotive finishes. Eastern Analytical Symposium and Exposition, Princeton, NJ, 2017.

  • Hovingh J, Downey RE, Bender A, MacKenzie A, Tattersall T, Schwartz T, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. An investigation of the effect of varying impact force on the formation of three-dimensional fabric impressions in automotive finishes. NEAFS, Pocono Manor, PA, 2017.

  • Deppisch J, Lim YC, Chesser R, Hulley-Buczny D, Wineberg H, Reilley J, Ristenbatt 3rd RR. A study of error in the estimation of the origin of a radial spatter pattern. IAFS, Toronto, Canada, 2017.

  • Sandquist RK, Weiss CA, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW. Assessment and optimization of chemical-based contrast enhancement techniques on mammalian pelts for shooting distance estimation. ACS Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting, Hershey, PA, 2017.

  • Weiss CA, Sandquist RK, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Brooks JW. Assessment and optimization of contrast enhancement techniques on mammalian pelts for shooting distance estimation. International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association, New York, NY, 2017.

  • Lim YC, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Chesser R. An assessment of the model used to estimate the origin of radial spatter patterns. NEAFS, Atlantic City, NJ, 2016.
  • Brooks JW, Ristenbatt 3rd RR, Gronchi I, O’Brien S, Lyman M, Mantz K, Weiss C. Estimating shooting distance in gunshot wounds to animals. American College of Veterinary Pathologists and American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology Combined Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, 2015.

 

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