Human skeletal anatomy. Laboratory techniques for the study of human osteological material. Biological profile: sex and age determination, metrics and morphology. Features of forensic biological samples. Genetic markers in forensic anthropology. Autosomal, X and Y STRs and mtDNA. The role of anthropology in forensic investigation. Classical and new generation molecular methodologies for genetic investigation.
Minozzi S. e Canci A. 2015. Archeologia dei resti umani. Dallo scavo al laboratorio. Carocci, Roma.
John Butler 2011 Advanced topics in forensic DNA typing: methodology.
John Butler 2014 Advanced topics in forensic DNA typing: interpretation.
Elena Pilli and Andrea Berti Forensic DNA Analysis: Technological Development and Innovative Applications. Apple Academic Press (in press)
Learning Objectives
Learning skeletal anatomy and methods for the restoration and study of keletal remains.
Learning to describe single and fragmentary bones, to estimate sex and age from skeletal remains, to take measurements of bones aimed to the body mass and stature estimation.
Learning collection, storage and characterization of biological samples. Learning different methods of extraction and quantification of the DNA used in the forensic field and the subsequent work flow through the classical methodology and NGS. Ability to interpret an identification profile.
Prerequisites
Suggested classes: anthropology.
Teaching Methods
Lectures on the theoretical bases of the anthropological study, accompanied by laboratory lessons.
Lectures for the part of molecular anthropology
Further information
Frequency of lectures:
4 hour of lessons per week; Highly recommended.
Students will be provided with slides presented during the lessons and the scientific papers discussed during the course.
Type of Assessment
Oral examination. Final report on the lab experiences and discussion on the topics of the class; recognizing and describing human bones. Comprehension and oral presentation of at least one scientific paper for the molecular part.
Course program
Human skeletal and dental anatomy. Age estimation from bones and teeth. Sex assessment and estimation. Taphonomy. Minimum number of individuals. Anthropometry. Paleopathology.
Characteristics of forensic biological samples. Collection, conservation and characterization of biological traces. Extraction, quantification and typing techniques of the molecular markers used in the forensic field: STRs and SNPs. Classical and new generation analysis methods in forensic anthropology. Interpretation of genetic results and national recommendations for the correct interpretation of the genetic profile. Real cases.