Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Cologne

Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Cologne
Melatenguertel 60/62
50823 Cologne
Germany

www.rechtsmedizin-koeln.de

Project Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Peter M. Schneider
Phone: +49 (0) 221 478-88345
Fax: +49 (0) 221 478-88370

Contact

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Institute Presentation

The Division of Forensic Molecular Genetics is a small but highly specialized unit at the Institute of Legal Medicine. As a university institution, teaching, research, as well as providing genetic typing services for the justice system are among its main responsibilities. Casework applications include the DNA analysis for human biological evidence samples from criminal offences, the identification of accident and disaster victims, as well as of unknown dead persons, the investigation of paternity and relationship cases, both for the civil court system as well as for private persons, and genetic testing of clinical samples from recipients of bone marrow and stem cell transplantations to establish the donor-recipient genetic chimerism.

Peter M. Schneider, the head of the division, is a full professor of Forensic Molecular Genetics. He has been active in research regarding the development and application of forensic DNA typing methods during his entire academic career. Prof. Schneider is a member of national and international expert commissions dealing with issues related to genetic testing and forensic DNA analysis. He is the chairman of the German Stain Commission (GEDNAP) which organizes highly recognized proficiency testing exercises, a member the European DNA Profiling Group (EDNAP) since 1989, a former President of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG), as well as an expert member of the Gene Diagnostics Commission of the German Federal Ministry of Health.

Current research activities of the Division of Forensic Molecular Genetics include the development of ancestry-informative markers based on Single Nucletide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and on insertion-deletion (InDel) markers, the investigation of genetic diversity of human mitochondrial DNA polymorphism, the analysis of Y-chromosomal STR markers, and the application of mRNA and epigenetic markers for the identification of body fluids and human tissues from forensic stains.