Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree 180 credits from biomedicine -, pharmacy -, biology programme or an equivalent education that gives relevant knowledge within cell and molecular biology, chemistry and biochemistry.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should:

- be able to generally account for activities within forensic medicine

- be able to describe the principles of forensic medical investigations and explain how these are carried out

- identify and understand the problems concerning homicide, suicide, blunt violence, sharp violence, alcohol, drugs and traumatology

- state different types of genetic markers that are used for forensic genetic analysis and describe how the results are interpreted

- be able to describe and carry out different methods that are used in forensic genetics and apply statistical calculations for evaluation of results

- apply, critically evaluate and understand problems concerning various types of markers and methods for DNA analyses within forensic genetics

- identify and understand problems concerning various types of evidence materials for DNA analyses within forensic genetics

- be able to work according to ethical and scientific methods

Content

The course consists of several parts, including forensic medicine and forensic genetics with a focus on analysis of small and degraded materials.

- Forensic medicine studies including an autopsy demonstration.

- Sampling and morphological studies and pathogenesis in the event of death.

- Sampling and sample preparation.

- Extraction of DNA from different types of biological material.

- PCR-based analyses of nuclear-DNA and mitochondrial DNA.

- Analysis of genetic markers of different types (SNPs and STR-markers).

- Using different technologies such as PCR, qPCR, electrophoresis, Pyrosequencing, Sangersequencing and fragment analysis.

- Orientation in experimental evaluation and application of statistics.

Laboratory work:

Laboratory sessions highlighting forensic medicine and forensic genetic studies.

Instruction

The teaching is given as lectures, seminars, demonstrations and laboratory exercises.

Special focus is directed to stimulate the students to independently solve problems.

Compulsory parts of the course: Course introduction. All parts in connection with laboratory sessions, demonstrations and advanced assignments including group meetings, briefings and presentation. Joint seminars for Master programmes.

Assessment

Written examinations, advanced assignment (oral and written presentation), laboratory report (oral and written presentation) and additional exercises (oral and written presentation).

For a pass on the course, passed examination, passed laboratory course, passed written assignments and presentations are required.

Other directives

Selections: serial: 1. Admitted to Master's programme in forensic science, 2. Others in case of a vacancy