Microbial Forensics

Bruce Budowle · Steven E. Schutzer · Roger G. Breeze

May 2005 · Elsevier

About this ebook

Microbial Forensics describes the new and growing field of Microbial Forensics- the science that will help bring to justice criminals and terrorists who use biological material to cause harm. This book describes the foundation of the field of microbial forensics and will serve as a basic primer to initiate those scientists and officials that have an interest in the topic. It covers a variety of areas from forensic science, to microbiology, to epidemiology, to bioinformatics, and to legal issues.

* Provides the real science beyond that displayed on TV and in the movies * Covers not only microbes but also the biology, chemistry, physics & computer science that is used for identification.* Of relevance Internationally to military, intelligence, law enforcement, agricultural, legal and environmental fields

About the author

Dr. Budowle has a lengthy CV and career. Some of his efforts over the last 15 years also are in counter terrorism, including identification of victims from mass disasters and in efforts involving microbial forensics and bioterrorism. Dr. Budowle was an advisor to New York State in the effort to identify the victims from the WTC attack. In the area of microbial forensics, Dr. Budowle has been the chair of the Scientific Working Group on Microbial Genetics and Forensics, whose mission was to set QA guidelines, develop criteria for biologic and user databases, set criteria for a National Repository, and develop forensic genomic applications. He also has served on the Steering Committee for the Colloquium on Microbial Forensics sponsored by American Society of Microbiology, an organizer of four Microbial Forensics Meetings held at The Banbury Center in the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and on steering committees for NAS sponsored meetings. Dr. Budowle has published approximately 600 articles, made more than 720 presentations (many of which were as an invited speaker at national and international meetings), and testified in well over 250 criminal cases in the areas of molecular biology, population genetics, statistics, quality assurance, and forensic biology. In addition, he has authored or co-authored books on molecular biology techniques, electrophoresis, protein detection, and microbial forensics.

Steven Schutzer, MD is a physician-scientist who trained and was on the faculty at Cornell University Medical College, New York Hospital, and Rockefeller University, before joining New Jersey Medical School. His research has focused on the interface of the immune system and microbes. Particular areas of research interest are Lyme and Tick diseases, neuroimmunology, and immunology. Dr. Schutzer is board certified in Internal Medicine, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and Clinical Laboratory Immunology. Dr. Schutzer’s research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and other organizations.