4. INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC BIOLOGY
• Forensic biology is the application of biological principles and
techniques to solve criminal cases. It involves the analysis of biological
evidence such as blood, hair, saliva, and DNA to establish connections
between suspects, victims, and crime scenes. Forensic biologists use
molecular biology and genetics to provide crucial information for
criminal investigations, helping to identify individuals, establish
relationships, and unravel the circumstances surrounding a crime.
5. BRANCHES OF FORENSIC BIOLOGY
• Forensic anthropology : Forensic anthropology is a special sub field of
physical anthropology (the study of human remains) that involves applying
skeletal analysis and techniques in archeology tooling criminal cases.
• Forensic Botany:Forensic botany, otherwise known as plant forensics,
is the use of plants in criminal investigations. This includes the
analysis of plant and fungal parts, such as leaves, flowers, pollen,
seeds, wood, fruit, spores and microbiology, plus plant environments
and ecology.
• Forensic Entomology:Forensic entomology is the study of arthropods, especially
insects, associated with crimes and other aspects of the courts and judicial system.
Forensic entomology usually involves the identification of insects and other
arthropods associated with human remains as an aid to determining the time and
place of death.
6. • Limnology:Limnology is the study of inland waters - lakes (both freshwater
and saline), reservoirs, rivers, streams, wetlands, and groundwater - as
ecological systems interacting with their drainage basins and the
atmosphere.
• Forensic serology:dealing with identification and characterization of biological,
evidentiary samples — such as blood, semen, saliva, sweat, breast milk and any
other bodily fluids
• Forensic Odontology:Forensic odontology (or forensic dentistry) is the
branch of forensic anthropology that focuses on identification and analysis
of human teeth in a legal context.
• Wildlife Forensic:Wildlife forensics is concerned with the application of
scientific analysis to support wildlife law enforcement. It specifically
focuses on the identification of non-human biological samples, rather than
traditional forensic disciplines such as ballistics or human DNA profiling
7. • DNA forensics:DNA” stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, which is a
molecule found in the cells of living organisms. DNA contains genetic
information that determines an individual’s traits and characteristics.
It serves as a unique genetic fingerprint for each person, with the
exception of identical twins.
8. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF FORENSIC
BIOLOGY
• The historical progression of forensic biology reflects a continual
evolution, with DNA analysis becoming a cornerstone in criminal
investigations and contributing to advancements in forensic science.
• Next-Generation Sequencing (21st Century): Advances in DNA
sequencing technologies, such as Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS),
enhanced the speed and efficiency of DNA analysis, enabling forensic
scientists to process large volumes of data more rapidly.
9. • Throughout its history, forensic biology has continuously evolved with
technological advancements, contributing significantly to the accuracy
and reliability of biological evidence analysis in criminal
investigations.
