For professionals with a passion for criminal justice and natural science, forensic biology can prove an ideal career path.
Forensic biologists are tasked with collecting evidence from a crime scene and analyzing it for clues to collect details. From this objective process, forensic biologists piece together theories about who or what is at fault in a crime. By examining bodily fluids, bones, hair, insects, plants, and animals at a crime scene, a forensic biologist prepares detailed analysis of their findings which can be used in legal cases to determine the cause of a crime.
While this is a great career for those who enjoy outdoor and laboratory tasks, it is safe to say that forensic biologists should be prepared for the messy work of collecting clean samples of unpleasant materials. According to the U. Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS , forensic science technicians—a closely related career to forensic biologists—can specialize in crime scene investigations or laboratory analysis BLS In the field, forensic biologists collect biological samples from outdoor areas, from clothing fibers, or from surfaces such as weapons at a crime scene.
In a laboratory, forensic biologists evaluate the collected evidence using microscopes and DNA analysis techniques. Creative skills such as sketching a reconstructed crime scene and photographing evidence may be other useful skills for a forensic biologist. Those with senior-level experience in the field of forensic biology are called upon to provide expert testimony in criminal cases based.
Beyond murder cases, forensic biologists can also assess the scope of damage of a natural disaster such as an oil spill. For these tasks, having clear written and communication skills are absolutely essential to ensure the process of collecting and analyzing evidence follows the ethics of criminal justice. While it may seem that the work of a forensic biologist is repetitive, it is anything but boring.
When considering any career pathway, one important factor is to research projected career growth. Dr Leone Lattes : In , he discovered a simple procedure to determine the blood group of the dried bloodstains. This technique was adopted for criminal investigation. Albrecht : In , he was a German chemist who developed a chemical solution that is Luminol. The Luminol makes the blood glow. It is useful in detecting the bloodstains at the scene of a crime.
Sir Alec Jeffreys: In , he developed the DNA fingerprinting technique to examine the variations in the genetic code, which, can be used to distinguish one individual from another. Kary B. This technique was useful for amplifying the DNA sample obtained from the scene of a crime in an extremely minute amount, degraded state, and a mixture of body fluids of two or more people. Read more- DNA Replication. The field of forensic biology deals with the examination of the evidence pertaining to living beings, and their associated biological materials, commonly found at the scene of a crime.
This deals with the following works:. They will also study how these living systems interact with their environment. Although some will understand a single organism completely, others will learn about environmental and ecological impact of wildlife - none of these things exist in a bubble.
A forensic biologist pieces together a picture of biological evidence. Effectively, they are biological detectives, looking at various aspects such as entomology , how environment shapes a living organism or how, where or when something died. How did this creature live? How did it die? What are the circumstances of its death?
What is the likely sequence of its final days or hours? This detective work is unsurprising that they will often end up in law enforcement or in scientific services. Even those who examine dead bodies need to have an understanding of the wider biology such as botany and microbiology amongst other things. They are sometimes employed in anthropology in order to understand what may have brought about the end of an individual or civilization.
They may also work with archaeologists to ensure that a body discovered on a construction site is ancient and not recent. Their evidence and understanding of biology detective work can be invaluable in adding a human element to the stories of the past.
Most will find employment with law enforcement - most in dedicated research units as employees or on retainer. They may even join law investigation teams and become Police Officers or Federal Agents themselves. That's not to say that their forensic work and acquired evidence is purely for prosecution, often suspects are acquitted on the basis of this evidence. For academic programs in the forensic sciences see the listing at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences web site.
Colette Witkowski , Professional Bldg. Biomedical Sciences. Skip to content column. Forensic pathology: As a CMB major, make sure you have not been over-enamored by the popular television shows or books about forensic pathology, all of which are greatly sanitized. Forensic molecular biology: Forensic molecular biology involves the study of human and mitochondrial DNA may include other primates.
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