Forensic Bioinformatics
in collaboration with the NVSA
Forensic DNA Workshop
26 June 2009
Leiden University Law School
The Netherlands
About the workshop
Dan Krane and Jason Gilder (in collaboration with the Dutch Association of Defence Counsel: NVSA) will be presenting a full-day DNA workshop at the Leiden University Law School on 26 June. The workshop is an opportunity for attorneys of all experience levels
to learn about the implications pertaining to forensic DNA profiling results.
The seminar will cover subjects germane to forensic DNA including: evidence collection, quality assurance, validation of laboratory procedures, serology, transfer, identification,
technical artifacts and error, DNA database searches, juror comprehension, expert witness selection, and due diligence. Course materials consisting of speaker presentations and supporting references
such as key literature, legal documents and web sites will be provided to each participant in electronic format at the beginning of the seminar. There are no admission restrictions.
The seminar will be presented in English.
Course speakers
The workshop will be headed by Drs. Dan Krane and Jason Gilder. They have been involved in the review of high profile cases around the world, including: O.J. Simpson,
the Washington D.C. Beltway sniper, the Jaidyn Leskie Coroner's Inquest in Australia, the Omagh IRA bombing in Northern Ireland, and the Deventer murder in The Netherlands. They work
closely with the Innocence Project and have been involved with exoneration cases, including most recently Paul House
in May 2009.
Dan Krane, Ph.D.,
graduated with a Bachelor's degree for a double major in
Biology and Chemistry from John Carroll University in 1985 and a Ph.D.
in Molecular Biology from Penn State University in 1990. From there he
did post-doctoral research at Washington University and Harvard before
accepting a faculty appointment at Wright State University in 1993. His
research interests are primarily in the areas of molecular evolution and
the way that gene frequencies change over the course of time in
populations of organisms. He has published more than 40 scholarly papers in a variety of topics
including population genetic studies of the genetic diversity of human populations at DNA typing loci, of
organisms exposed to environmental stressors, and the use of DNA typing in forensic science.
Dan is also the lead author of a widely-used undergraduate textbook, Fundamental Concepts of Bioinformatics.
Dan is a member of the Commonwealth of Virginia's Scientific Advisory Committee, a 12-member panel established by statute
to provide oversight and guidance to the Virginia Department of Forensic Science (the crime laboratory for the Commonwealth of Virginia).
Since 1991, Dan has testified in over 75 criminal proceedings that have involved forensic DNA typing
(in 22 different states and in three different Federal courts within the United States, a Coronial Inquest in the State of Victoria in Australia,
the Belfast Crown Court in Northern Ireland, and the Oxford Crown Court in England).
dan.krane@wright.edu
Jason Gilder, Ph.D. is a Systems Engineer at Forensic Bioinformatics, Inc.
He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering in 2001, a Master's degree in Computer Science in 2003,
and a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering in 2007 (all from Wright State University). The entirety of his graduate research work was in the field of forensic DNA analysis.
Jason is the first full-time employee of Forensic Bioinformatics and he is the primary author of the Genophiler® automated DNA software analysis system.
He has used Genophiler® to analyze the electronic data in more than 700 DNA cases over the past seven years.
Jason has provided expert testimony and lectures frequently at CLE seminars. Jason continues to perform research in the areas of forensic
DNA interpretation and population genetics. He also continues to develop new software tools (such as GenoStat®).
Jason has published multiple scholarly papers and authored a chapter in Wiley's Encyclopedia of Forensic Science.
gilder@bioforensics.com
Location
The workshop will be located at the Leiden University Law School, room B.041.
Steenschuur 25
2311 ES Leiden
The Netherlands
Continuing Legal Education Credit
The workshop day program consists of seven effective lecture hours, for which seven O.V.A. Education Credit Points have been requested. For further questions regarding Dutch Legal Education Credits:
info@nvsa.nl
Schedule
09:00 - 09:15 : Introduction to DNA testing
09:15 - 09:35 : Evolution of DNA testing technology
09:35 - 10:20 : Automated STR DNA testing
10:20 - 10:30 : Break
10:30 - 11:00 : Basic DNA statistics
11:00 - 11:20 : Documenting laboratory errors
11:20 - 11:50 : Opportunities for subjective interpretation
11:50 - 12:35 : Lunch
12:35 - 13:00 : Observer effects / expectation bias
13:00 - 13:45 : Sources of ambiguity in DNA testing results
13:45 - 14:20 : Mixture interpretation
14:20 - 14:30 : Break
14:30 - 15:00 : Limits of detection and quantitation
15:00 - 15:30 : Familial searching
15:30 - 15:45 : Cold Hit statistics
15:45 - 15:55 : DNA transfer
15:55 - 16:30 : Low Copy Number (LCN) DNA testing
16:30 - 16:45 : Degraded samples and the Victoria Coroner's inquest into the death of Jaidyn Leskie
16:45 - 17:00 : Steps in preparing a DNA case
Course materials
Please check back as we will be adding more materials in the future.
Presentation: The main presentation that will be given by Dan Krane and Jason Gilder.
Attendance is €400. The workshop will last all day (09:00 to 17:00) and lunch is included. Space is limited, so please register as soon as possible.
Payment through bank check is also possible.
DNA Workshop - Friday, 26 June 2009 - €400
Questions?
Contact Jason Gilder through e-mail or
call Forensic Bioinformatics at (937) 426-9270.
