Marshall University
Syllabus
Course Title/Number
Semester/Year
Days/Time
Location
Instructor
Office
Phone
Cell Phone
E-Mail
Office/Hours
University Policies
IST 445 DNA Forensics
SPRING SEMESTER 2014
M 5-7:30 PM Lab
W 5-6 PM Lecture
Byrd Biotechnology Science Center 211 (Lab) and 125 (lecture)
Carly Fannin, M.S
Marshall University Forensic Science Center
304-691-8954
606-534-0532
fannin7@marshall.edu
Office hours: by appointment
By enrolling in this course, you agree to the University Policies listed below.
Please read the full text of each policy be going to
www.marshall.edu/academic-affairs and clicking on “Marshall University
Policies.” Or, you can access the policies directly by going to
http://www.marshall.edu/academic-affairs/?page_id=802
Academic Dishonesty/ Excused Absence Policy for Undergraduates/
Computing Services Acceptable Use/ Inclement Weather/ Dead Week/
Students with Disabilities/ Academic Forgiveness/ Academic Probation and
Suspension/ Academic Rights and Responsibilities of Students/ Affirmative
Action/ Sexual Harassment
Course Description: From Catalog
IST 445 Hands-on DNA typing of simulated crime scene evidence. Process biological samples,
perform presumptive and confirmatory tests for blood and semen, learn microscopy, extract DNA,
human quantitiation, PCR amplification, capillary electrophoresis, genetic analysis and practice
testimony.
Required Texts, Additional Reading, and Other Materials
1. Instructor provided slideshows, laboratory protocols, worksheets and laboratory notes.
Course Requirements / Due Dates
The standards for measuring successful completion of learner objectives will be
1. 12 Lecture quizzes (compose 10% of grade-2 lowest scores will be dropped). Dates are listed
in course schedule.
2. Exam I (compose 20%)-TBA
3. Exam II (compose 20% and comprehensive)-TBA
4. Lab work and Case File (compose 40% of grade). Case file will be evaluated March 12 and
April 30.
5. Court Testimony-(compose 10% of grade)-TBA
Computer Requirements:
Access to a Pentium computer with Microsoft Office 2007, Internet Explorer and Blackboard.
1
Course Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Measures
Course Student Learning
Outcomes
Students will demonstrate
understanding of the basic
principles of forensic DNA
analysis including basic principles
of DNA structure, DNA replication,
Mendelian and mitochondrial
inheritance; forensic genetics,
including STR, mitochondrial DNA
sequencing, Y chromosome STR
and autosomal SNPs; theory and
practice of DNA quantification for
forensic testing including TaqMan
and Plexor systems; theory and
practice of PCR and qPCR;
interpretation of DNA mixtures
and PCR artifacts; ABI software to
analyze DNA profiles, including
gender identification; strength of
Forensic DNA results, population
statistics, Bayesian analysis,
Likelihood Ratio, Hardy-Weinberg
and Linkage Equilibrium.
Students will master laboratory
skills through performing
experiments in the lab including
handling and processing Forensic
DNA evidence, including methods
for prevention of crosscontamination and correct sample
storage; understanding the basic
requirements for record keeping
and casework documentation in a
forensic science setting
presumptive tests for blood and
semen and use of alternative light
sources; processing biological
evidence and control samples for
DNA extraction; DNA extraction
from forensic samples; performing
STR PCR genotyping and
analyze fluorescently labeled
DNA products using capillary
electrophoresis; DNA
quantification for forensic testing;
and using ABI software and
Plexor to analyze DNA profiles,
including sex identification.
Students will enhance their writing
skills and strategies by writing a
How Practiced in this
Course
PowerPoint lectures, films, inclass examples.
How Assessed in this
Course
Twelve quizzes, Exam I, Exam
II, case file and report.
Course lectures, Laboratory
practice of methods, technical
manuals and protocols;
handouts for assignments,
reading.
Lab work will be assessed
based on attendance,
participation, forensic
laboratory reports.
Recording data in Case file.
Case file
Case file on the evidence process
and tested during the course.
2
Evaluation/Measurement of Learner Outcomes:
The standards for measuring successful completion of learner objectives will be
Lab Work (Lab participation and case file report)
12 Lecture quizzes
Exam I
Exam II (comprehensive)
Court Testimony
40%
10%
20%
20%
10%
Grading Policy:
A = 90-100 %
B = 80-89 %
C = 70-79 %
D = 60-69 %
F < 60 %
Lab
Lab work will be assessed based on attendance, participation, and completion of lab
procedures. Students will be assigned a sexual assault evidence packet and will process
evidence, perform presumptive and confirmatory tests, prepare samples for microscopic
observation, extract DNA from evidence samples, quantitate extracted DNA, perform PCR
using fluorescent DNA primers, perform capillary electrophoresis, and analyze data.
Students will keep a case file to document all laboratory procedures and results. All results,
interpretations, and conclusions will be summarized in a final laboratory report.
Quizzes
Students will have twelve quizzes as announced in the schedule. Exams will be based on
lectures, problems and readings. The two lowest quiz scores will be dropped before final
grade assignment.
Exam I
Exam I is 20% of the final grade and will be based on lectures and readings. Students will be
given a group of sample essay exam questions from which the essay questions will be
selected.
Exam II
Exam II is 20% of the final grade and will be comprehensive. The exam will be based on
lectures and readings. Students will be given a group of sample essay exam questions from
which the essay questions will be selected.
Class Participation
Forensic DNA is an open discussion atmosphere. Students are encouraged to ask questions
about the book and forensic DNA in the news in class.
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Class Policies:
Attendance Policy:
Attendance policy is in keeping with Marshall’s official policy regarding excused absences.
This policy can be found on pp. 123-126 of the 2009-2010 undergraduate online catalog,
which can be accessed at http://www.marshall.edu/catalog/undergraduate/ug_09-10.pdf).
Labs are project based. Attendance is critical, since the performance of the laboratory skills
must be under supervision of the laboratory instructor. Missing more than 2 labs will result in
loss of a letter grade in lab. Lab work may be repeated if there are not successful results.
Students may have to return to lab to complete some work based on timing of experiments.
Students are expected to work safely and clean up after work. If the lab is left dirty or
equipment is broken, they are responsible for cleaning up and reporting problems. Tardiness
is also discouraged, but is better than absence. It is the student’s responsibility to meet
with instructor to discuss laboratory absences due to illness or other reasons. It is
also required to return to the lab between classes and perform some work. Students should
schedule time with instructor to get into the lab outside of regular class hours for additional
work.
Students are required to stay on task during labs. Discussion of the problems in a group is
encouraged. However, please complete your homework and quizzes individually. If you
have completed the assigned task, please help someone else. If you are having academic
difficulty, please come see me for assistance.
Late Assignments:
Late assignments will lose a letter grade for every week late. Problem and case study
assignments will receive a check or a check minus but not a check + if they are late.
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Course Outline:
The schedule below is intended to give you a guide to the course. This guide is subject to
change based on class progression. Lab work may be repeated if there are not successful
results and schedule adjusted by dropping some later topics.
Date
Topic
Jan 13

Jan 15
Jan 20
Jan 22
Jan 27
Jan 29
Feb 3
Feb 5
Feb 10
Feb 12
Feb 17
Feb 19
Feb 24
Feb 26
Mar 3
Mar 5
Mar 10
Mar 12
Mar 17
Mar 19
Mar 24
Mar 26
Mar 31
Apr 2
Introduction to the class-QA/QC
and Safety Training
 Introduction to Forensic DNA
 Collecting evidence from Sexual
Assault cases
 Pre-test
 Collecting evidence from Sexual
Assault cases continued
 Screening Techniques and
chemistries
MLK Day-No Class
 Case Documentation, Chain of
Custody, Case documentation, and
Kit inventory
Lab-Receive SAK, perform kit
inventory, begin screening, perform
presumptive tests
 DNA Extraction
Lab-Confirmatory Tests and DNA
Extraction
 PCR Amplification
 Real Time Quantitiation
Lab-DNA Extraction
 Capillary Electrophoresis
Lab-Quantitation
 Population Genetics, Hardy
Weinburg, and all that jazz
Lab-PCR Amplification
 Genemapper ID
 Data Analysis
 Artifacts
Lab-Capillary Electrophoresis and
Exam I
 Data Interpretation
Lab-Data Analysis
 DNA Databases
 Possible Conclusions
 Statistical Interpretation of Data
Spring Break No Class
Spring Break No class
Lab-Data Analysis, Interpretation and
Report Writing
 Kinship Testing, HWE, LR,
CPI/CPE
Lab-Data Analysis, Interpretation and
Report Writing
 Kinship Testing, HWE, LR,
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Quiz 3
Quiz 4
Quiz 5
Quiz 6
Quiz 7
Quiz 8
Quiz 9
5
Apr 7
Apr 9
Apr 14
Apr 16
Apr 21
Apr 23
Apr 28
Apr 30
TBA
CPI/CPE
Lab-Data Analysis, Interpretation and
Report Writing
Kinship Testing, HWE, LR, CPI/CPE
Lab-Data Analysis, Interpretation and
Report Writing
Court Prep
Lab-Data Analysis, Interpretation and
Report Writing
Court Prep
Lab-Data Analysis, Interpretation and
Report Writing
Exam II, Case Files Due
Court Testimony
Quiz 10
Quiz 11
Quiz 12
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