Introduction to Developing Genetic Markers for Animal and Plant Traces

Molecular Resources in Non-Human Forensics: from Wildlife to eDNA

Please note: The first day of the workshop is a conference. Participation in the conference alone is possible.

The workshop can only be attended together with the conference.

This is an optional workshop in the Doctoral Network.

Conference: Natural Traces and Forensic Science

Czech Police Museum, Muzeum Policie České Republiky, Ke Karlovu 453/1, Prague 2, CZE

Official language: English

Registration fee: FREE

Authors of the selected abstracts will be asked to submit their full text manuscript to EJES

European Journal of Environmental Sciences, www.EJES.cz, IF=0,8

Conference topics:

The conference and workshop are organized by Forensic DNA Service.

More information & list of additional speakers & updated agenda & registration: www.dnacentrum.cz/en/

The best practices for sample preservation and short and long-term storage
Field sampling and testing (Bento mobile laboratory and Salux 19)
Rapid preliminary testing of exhibits of unknown origin
DNA extraction strategies for different animal artifacts, the removal of inhibitors
Laboratory set-up, LIMS (Laboratory Information and Management Systém)
ISO norms

DNA quantitation (specific and non-specific)
Species identification (Sanger, NGS, fragment analysis, qPCR)
The current recommendations for animal DNA forensics
Individual DNA identification of animal samples
DNA databasing, statistical evaluation
Case documents, reporting the results, expert testimony
Addressing the problematic areas: inbreeding, hybrids, population data, reference samples, combined human, and non-human analysis, CITES legal restrictions

Sampling and preservation of plant materials for forensic identification (dried and fresh remains, minimum traces, pollens etc.)
From morphology (microscopy) to molecular investigations, specific DNA extraction methods
Laser microdissection for obtaining DNA
Taxonomical identification of plants (DNA barcodes, PCR and Sanger, NGS, DNA alignment)
Molecular reference databases and search (BOLD, GenBank, PlantGDB), statistical evaluation
Whole genome amplification methods in trace analysis, metagenome and long-read DNA sequencing (pros and cons)