Microbial Forensics

Introduction - The Rapidly Evolving Discipline of Microbial Forensics;

PART 1  INVESTIGATIVE GENETICS - A. Criminal;
The Kameido anthrax incident: A microbial forensics case study; Microbial Forensic Investigation of the Anthrax-Letter Attacks;

B. Civilian;
Foodborne Outbreaks: What’s New, What’s Not, and Where Do We Go from Here?; Genotype and Geography; the global distribution of bovine tuberculosis; Tracing meat products through production and distribution chain from farm to consumer; Microbial Forensics of RNA Viruses: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus; Forensic Plant Pathology;

PART 2  EMERGING INFECTIONS
Influenza Forensics; Keeping Track of Viruses; Microbial Forensic Analysis of Trace and Unculturable Specimens; Molecular Microbial Surveillance and Discovery in Bioforensics;

PART 3  BIOSECURITY
Assessment of the Threat; The Select Agent Regulations; Biosurety in the Post-9/11 Era; Forensic public health: epidemiologic & microbiologic investigations for biosecurity;

PART 4  SUBJECT AREAS
Forensic Analysis in Bacterial Pathogens; Rickettsia and Coxiella; Forensics and Epidemiology of Fungal Pathogens; Ricin Forensics: Comparisons to Microbial Forensics; Forensic Aspects of Biologic Toxins;

PART 5  METHODS
The Use of Host Factors in Microbial Forensics; Collection and Preservation of Microbial Forensic Samples; Sampling for Microbial Forensic Investigations; Toxin Analysis Using Mass Spectrometry; Electron Beam-Based Methods for Bioforensic Investigations; Proteomics Development and Application for Bioforensics; High-throughput Sequencing; Genomics; The Design of Genomic Signatures for Pathogen Identification and Characterization; Non-Biological Measurements on Biological Agents; Inferential Validation and Evidence Interpretation; Microbial Forensic Investigations in the Context of Bacterial Population Genetics; Population Genetic Considerations in Statistical Interpretation of Microbial Forensic Data; Biorepositories and their Foundations – Microbial Forensic Considerations;

PART 6  NATIONAL LEVEL CAPABILITIES
A U.S. Research Strategy for Microbial Forensics: From Genesis to Implementation; The National Bioforensic Analysis Center; Microbial Forensics in Australia - The Australian Federal Police Perspective; Validation of Microbial Forensics in the Scientific, Legal and Policy Contexts;

PART 7  MICROBIAL FORENSICS CURRICULA AND TRAINING
Microbial Forensics: Educating the Workforce and the Community; So You Really Want to be an Expert Witness? A Primer for the Occasional Expert Witness; Conclusion – Microbial Forensics, What Next?