Faculty Research in Forensic Science
Graduate research is a required component of the PSM degree in Forensic Science. Most students elect to conduct research in one of the faculty research groups at Fresno State. With program approval, students may also arrange research projects with other faculty or at other locations.
Dr. Kevin Miller, Human IdentificationThe human identification laboratory conducts both length fragment and DNA sequencing analysis on forensic evidence, including skeletonized human remains and highly degraded tissues. We seek to apply recent advances in biotechnology to develop forensic methodologies for the identification of body tissues and fluids, as well as for the archaeological and anthropological investigations of past peoples.
Recent work has included the ethnogeography of human genes, preservation of biomolecules in human cremated remains, and the analysis of wound healing in cases of child abuse.
Dr. Eric C. Person, Forensic ChemistryDr. Person’s research group is primarily interested in the development and evaluation of techniques for the chemical analysis of forensic evidence including clandestine laboratory, fire debris, and blood alcohol samples. We have active collaborations with criminalists at the California BFS Crime Laboratory located on campus on several projects including the effect of hematocrit on measured blood alcohol concentrations and the development of an ignitable liquid chromatogram library search algorithm.