Introducing the New Editorial Team

Forensic GenomicsVol. 3, No. 2 EditorialFree AccessIntroducing the New Editorial TeamNicole M.M. NovroskiNicole M.M. Novroski*Address correspondence to: Nicole M.M. Novroski, PhD, Forensic Science Program, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada. E-mail Address: nicole.novroski@utoronto.ca Thank you for reading,, Nicole M.M. Novroski, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, Forensic Genomics https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9071-9278Forensic Science Program, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:12 Jun 2023https://doi.org/10.1089/forensic.2023.0008.editorialAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail It has been an exciting year as the new Editor-in-Chief at Forensic Genomics, the official journal of the International Symposium on Human Identification (ISHI). I am delighted to take this opportunity to introduce the new outstanding editorial team, share our team's current priorities, and the initiatives we are taking that will help propel Forensic Genomics forward.Forensic Genomics is a quarterly published journal in its third year. Started in 2021 by founding Editor David Mittleman, PhD (who is the chief executive officer at Othram, Inc.), the journal addresses how advances in genetic testing and genomic analysis can enable investigators to break through previously impenetrable forensic DNA barriers. The core focus of the journal is the use of DNA testing technologies, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and genealogical research methods to support human identification using inference tools and inductive reasoning.The journal provides a high-profile international forum for ground-breaking original research articles, review articles, captivating front matter, industry profiles, and commentary, and at its core is an academic publication. Our editorial team comprises leading experts who span the diversity of disciplines within the field of forensic genetics.Associate EditorsOur new associate editors are fully committed to the success of our outstanding journal.Robert A. Bever, PhD (inaugural associate editor), is a senior scientist at Bode Technology. Dr. Bever brings over 27 years of research and operational experience, has served as laboratory director for three DNA typing laboratories, has technically reviewed over 40,000 cases, and testified in over 150 cases. In addition, Dr. Bever has over 20 years experience in analyzing kinship casework to establish parentage, sib-ship, and avuncular relationships. Dr. Bever's research in forensic genetics has focused on developing methods to obtain DNA profiles from highly degraded samples, to collect and extract DNA from touched objects, mixture deconvolution using next-generation sequencing, and indentification of geographical origin of material through DNA.Claus Børsting, MSc, PhD, is a senior researcher in the Section of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark. Dr. Børsting brings over 20 years of research experience and is an active contributor to forensic literature, being first author or coauthor of 79 peer-reviewed articles, 12 book chapters, 40 peer-reviewed conference proceedings, and 52 other conference contributions. His primary fields of research include human identification using biallelic markers, human pigmentation, epigenetic studies, and the use of next-generation sequencing in forensic genetics. His current research interests center around human pigmentation and human identity using single nucleotide polymorphisms.Bruce Budowle, PhD (inaugural associate editor), is currently an adjunct faculty member with the Radford University Forensic Science Institute and maintains a visiting professor status with the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. He is an internationally recognized and acclaimed expert in forensic genomics, microbial forensics, human trafficking, bioterrorism, and counter terrorism. Dr. Budowle recently retired (2022) as the director of the Center for Human Identification in Fort Worth, Texas, where, among other things, he directed the processing of DNA cases for the US National DNA database system CODIS (which he was one of the original architects of).With over 40 years of experience, Dr. Budowle has carried out research, development, and validation of methods for forensic biological analyses. He has published more than 700 peer-reviewed articles, made more than 800 presentations, and testified in well over 300 criminal cases in the areas of molecular biology, population genetics, statistics, quality assurance, and forensic biology. He has been a chair and member of the Scientific Working Group on DNA Methods, chair of the DNA Commission of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG), a member of the DNA Advisory Board, and a commissioner on the Texas Forensic Science Commission.Claire L. Glynn, PhD, is an associate professor and founding director of the coveted online graduate certificate in Forensic Genetic Genealogy Program at the University of New Haven in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Glynn previously worked as a forensic scientist at Eurofins Forensic Services (formerly named LGC Forensics) in Oxfordshire, England, before pursuing a doctoral degree and joining the University of New Haven in 2014. Dr. Glynn was awarded the University of New Haven's Faculty Excellence in Research and Creative Activity in 2017. She also was designated a University Research Scholar for 2017–2020.Lastly, Dr. Glynn was named one of Connecticut's “40 under 40” for the class of 2022 by Connecticut Magazine. Dr. Glynn is prominently featured in the media discussing her opinions and expertise in forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) and served as an inaugural advisory board member for ISHI.Denise Syndercombe Court, PhD (inaugural associate editor), is a professor of forensic genetics at King's College London in London, United Kingdom. Dr. Syndercombe Court is a scientist, geneticist, statistician, academic, editor, and published author of over 93 peer-reviewed scientific publications, including serving as both editor and author of the award-winning textbook “Medical Science.”Dr. Syndercombe Court is a chartered scientist and a chartered biologist, and is a member or fellow of a number of professional bodies including the Academy of Forensic Medical Sciences, Biochemical Society, British Academy of Forensic Sciences, Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, Institute of Biological and Medical Sciences, ISFG, International Society of Blood Pattern Analysts, Royal College of Pathologists Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Royal Society of Biology, and the Royal Statistical Society.With more than 30 years of experience in scientific research, forensic evidence examination, and DNA interpretation with a sound knowledge of the civil and criminal justice process, Dr. Syndercombe Court manages an ISO17025 accredited laboratory specializing in complex kinship and specialist DNA analysis for police forces, is the UK representative on the European DNA Profiling Group and the International Society of Forensic Genetics representative on the Forensic Regulator's DNA Working Group. Her research interests are in the use of DNA in complex and limited matrices, both human and nonhuman, for intelligence purposes.We have expanded our editorial board to expedite the reviewing process and prioritize publishing high-quality articles. We are most pleased to introduce our expanded editorial board, comprising a blend of inaugural board members and new members, representing the vast disciplines of forensic genetics.Rebekah Canada, BS (inaugural board member), is consultant in product marketing, development, technical writing, and genealogy research, with a home base of Houston, Texas. She is a strong media and communication professional, who is skilled in management, technical writing, and a variety of computer-based programs. To learn more about Rebekah and her areas of expertise, please visit (Haplogroup.org) or (https://rebekahcanada.com/).Jennifer Churchill Cihlar, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Center for Human Identification and Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics Department of the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas. With over 30 publications and dozens of conference contributions, her efforts focus on improving the forensic community's ability to identity humans associated with crime, missing persons, and human and wildlife trafficking victims through forensic genomic research.Dr. Cihlar's current research efforts are focused on rapid DNA technologies, bioinformatic assessment of the performance, and noise in mitochondrial genome analyses to guide thresholding strategies for forensic laboratories, and a heavy focus on novel markers as well as the use of portable genetic technologies to aid law enforcement efforts in curtailing wildlife trafficking.Maria Corazon A. De Ungria, PhD, is a National Sciences Research Institute DNA Analysis Laboratory Director in the Philippine Genome Center at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Quezon City, Philippines. With a PhD in microbiology from The University of New South Wales, Dr. De Ungria returned to the Philippines, where she was immediately appointed as head of the DNA Analysis Laboratory of the UP Natural Sciences Research Institute. Since then, she has actively focused on two major areas of study: the validation of molecular procedures for forensic applications and the expansion of Philippine population databases to better understand the genetic diversity of different Philippine groups.For her efforts, Dr. De Ungria has been awarded many prestigious scientific awards such as the outstanding young scientist awarded by the National Academy of Science and Technology, and the outstanding women in the nation service (TOWNS). In 2009, Dr. De Ungria won the outstanding woman researcher in the life sciences award, organized by the Third World Organization of Women Scientists and Elsevier in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2016, UP promoted Dr. De Ungria to the rank of university researcher V, the highest research position available, once again recognizing her academic achievements as well as her efforts in putting science at the service of society.Christopher E. Mason, PhD (inaugural board member), is a professor of physiology and biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, New York. The Mason laboratory is working on a 10-phase 500-year plan for the survival of the human species on Earth, in space, and on other planets, where Dr. Mason is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed articles and the newly released “The Next 500 Years, Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds.” Dr. Mason's team develops and deploys new biochemical and computational methods in functional genomics to elucidate the genetic basis of human disease and human physiology.Dr. Mason focuses on novel techniques using massively parallel sequencing and the development of algorithms for tumor evolution, genome evolution, DNA and RNA modifications, and genome/epigenome engineering. Dr. Mason actively collaborates with NIST and the FDA to build international standards to ensure clinical-quality genome measurements and editing.Irene Newsham, PhD (inaugural board member), joined the department of chemistry and biochemistry at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont, in 2022, in the role of faculty lecturer in chemistry. Before her move to Vermont, Dr. Newsham was associate professor and associate program director for the Molecular Genetic Technology program in the School of Health Professions at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Newsham has authored over 55 peer-reviewed publications and recently earned her certificate in genealogy research from Boston University's Center for Professional Education.Fabio Oldoni, PhD, is an assistant professor and director of the Master's in Forensic Science Program at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Dr. Oldoni has developed national and international research collaborations, which allow for his current research team to be exposed to state-of-the-art research in the field of forensic molecular biology and genetics. Dr. Oldoni has peer-reviewed several forensic science journal articles since 2018 and serves as a member of the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG), American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), and Council of Forensic Science Educators.Dr. Oldoni also serves as the contact person for International Scientific Relations of the Italian-speaking working group from ISFG. Dr. Oldoni's research interests include the development, validation, and optimization of biomarker assays, massively parallel sequencing, CE fragment analysis, DNA mixture deconvolution, ancestry prediction, kinship analysis, touch DNA, and probabilistic genotyping.Nathan E. Scudder, LLM LP, PhD (inaugural board member), is an adjunct associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney in Canberra, Australia, researching the policy and legal implications of new DNA technologies, including national security policy, law enforcement, forensic science, and genomic privacy. With over 17 publications and 24 years experience working for the Australian Government, Dr. Scudder has managed forensic operations teams, worked as a lawyer, positioned the agency to leverage policy opportunities, and helped shape and guide government legislation. Dr. Scudder is an inaugural member of the Forensic Genomics journal and the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG) Forensics Database Advisory Board.Jodie M. Ward, PhD (inaugural board member), is the director of the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER) and an associate professor in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at University of Technology Sydney in Sydney, Australia. In addition, she is the program lead of the National DNA Program for Unidentified and Missing Persons at the Australian Federal Police. This unique joint appointment facilitates her valuable contribution to the research, development, and application of forensic human identification techniques for missing persons investigations in Australia.Dr. Ward is an internationally recognized forensic expert who passionately uses interdisciplinary forensic approaches to identify unidentified human remains, link them to known missing persons, and provide answers to their families. Previously, she held operational forensic roles with the NSW Forensic and Analytical Science Service and NSW Police Force, and academic forensic roles with the Canberra Institute of Technology and University of Canberra.For her efforts, Dr. Ward has been awarded the Churchill Fellowship to investigate world-leading DNA identification techniques for missing persons and disaster victims, was invited to the International Commission on Missing Persons Expert Panel of Scientific Advisors, Missing Persons Advocacy Network Board and Forensic Genomics Editorial Board, and was recognized as one of the 2017 Superstars of STEM (Science & Technology Australia), 2018 100 Women of Influence (Australian Financial Review), 2021 Emerging Leaders in the Public and University Sector (Women's Agenda), and 2023 NSW Woman of Excellence (NSW Government).Frank Wendt, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Forensic Science Program, Department of Anthropology and Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the principal investigator of the Forensic and Complex Trait Genetics Laboratory at UTM and specializes in the development and application of statistical genetics methods for understanding the cause and consequence of pleiotropy across the human phenome.Dr. Wendt serves as a mentor, CANSSI Ontario STAGE (Strategic Training for Advanced Genetic Epidemiology), which is a formal and comprehensive training program in genetic epidemiology and statistical genetics, the first of its kind in Canada and one of few in the world. With over 74 peer-reviewed articles and dozens of contributions to conferences, Dr. Wendt has a diversity of research interests including genetic epidemiology, biological psychiatry, forensic genomics, psychiatry, ancestry diversity, genome-wide association studies, polygenicity, and pleiotropy.Our goal at Forensic Genomics is to maintain a diverse team of editorial members that provide expertise in a diversity of forensic genetics research areas and geographical regions. Understanding the importance of the article review process, we thank those individuals in our community who have served on the editorial board as well as our ad-hoc reviewers for providing timely and constructive comments. Since joining Forensic Genomics in 2022, I have appointed new editorial board members, and will continue looking for qualified editorial board members to expand upon our growing network of experts.I firmly believe that a strong editorial board will help propel the journal forward in a new direction. And, as our submission numbers continue to increase, we will also recruit new reviewers. Furthermore, we are exploring options to expand our marketing to reach new laboratories and research groups as well as to recruit new authors and reviewers.In closing, I am thrilled to have such a privileged opportunity to work with excellent emerging and leading scholars from the global forensic genetics' community. I thank Sheryl Nale, Sophie Reisz, and the team at Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, for their generous and timely support during the transition period. I also express my gratitude to Ms. Runa Daniel, who has been a vital contributor to the success of Forensic Genomics through her friendship and collegiality. I understand that the role of editor-in-chief is a significant responsibility. Beyond making the editorial decision, I will strive to approach my work as a facilitator, and I welcome each one of your contributions! I look forward to working closely with our editorial team, reviewers, authors, and the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, team!FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 3Issue 2Jun 2023 InformationCopyright 2023, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Nicole M.M. Novroski.Introducing the New Editorial Team.Forensic Genomics.Jun 2023.31-34.http://doi.org/10.1089/forensic.2023.0008.editorialPublished in Volume: 3 Issue 2: June 12, 2023Online Ahead of Print:June 2, 2023PDF download