Mitochondrial and STR DNA Analysis by Mass Spectrometry |
February 9–11, 2009 |
| Bruce Budowle, Ph.D. Dr. Bruce Budowle received a Ph.D. in Genetics in 1979 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. From 1979 to1982, Dr. Budowle was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 1983, he joined the research unit at the FBI to carry out research, development, and validation of methods for forensic biological analyses. Bruce Budowle is currently the Senior Scientist for the Laboratory Division of the FBI. Dr. Budowle has contributed to the fundamental forensic sciences in analytical development, population genetics, statistical interpretation of evidence, and in quality assurance. His current human DNA forensic research is on mass spectrometry and mitochondrial DNA analysis, use and interpretation of Y STRs, and selection of SNPs for identity testing. In addition, Dr. Budowle is heavily involved in the forensic applications related to analysis of bioterrorism evidence and has been pivotal in developing a new field known as microbial forensics. |
| Thomas Hall, Ph.D. Thomas A. Hall received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Biology from North Carolina State University. During graduate school he independently developed molecular sequence alignment and analysis software that is still in use by many laboratories worldwide. Upon completing his graduate studies, he went to work for the Ibis division of Isis Pharmaceuticals in 2001, and made fundamental contributions to the development of a novel mass spectrometry based biosensor system that later became the Ibis T5000™. With financial support from the NIJ and the FBI, and through collaborations with the FBI, AFDIL/AFIP, NIST and UNTHSC, Dr. Hall has contributed to the development of forensics applications for the Ibis T5000™ system that have led to the placement of mitochondrial DNA profiling systems at the FBI DNA Unit II. His most recent research interests include continued development of forensics assays and analysis software, and development of mass spectrometry-based molecular diagnostic tests for fungi, bacteria, viruses, and parasites. |
| Steven Hofstadler, Ph.D. Steven A. Hofstadler received a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from The University of Texas at Austin. Upon completing his graduate studies, he worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory where he developed high performance instrumentation and methodologies based on Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry. Upon completion of his post-doctoral studies, Dr. Hofstadler remained at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as a Senior Research Scientist for nearly five years. During that time, he continued to develop FTICR instrumentation in combination with numerous microcolumn separations. In 1997, Dr. Hofstadler relocated to Ibis Biosciences (then a Division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), where he is presently the Vice President of Research in the now Abbott owned Ibis subsidiary. His most current research interests include applications of high performance mass spectrometry for the analysis of nucleic acids as a means to characterize microorganisms, and as a tool to forensically differentiate humans. Dr. Hofstadler received an R&D 100 Award in 2000 for the development of MASS “Multitarget Affinity/Specificity Screening” and again in 2005 for the development of the “TIGER Biosensor”. |
| Kristin S. Lowery, Ph.D. Kristin S. Lowery received a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Stanford University. Upon completing her graduate studies, she served as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Molecular Physics Laboratory at SRI International. In this position, Dr. Lowery helped develop matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of flight mass spectrometry for DNA sequencing applications. Subsequently, she became a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Analytical Research group at Parke-Davis. There, Dr. Lowery helped develop electrospray ionization mass spectrometry methodologies for studying drug interactions with proteins and RNA. In 1998, Dr. Lowery joined Ibis Biosciences, where she is presently Associate Director of the Ibis Analytical Services Laboratory. Her most recent research interests include developing mass spectrometry methodologies for generating high throughput mitochondrial profiles and STR profiles. |
| Leslie McCurdy, Ph.D. Les McCurdy earned a bachelor's degree in Forensic Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He holds Masters and Doctoral degrees in Human Genetics from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University. After graduate school Dr. McCurdy served as a post-doctoral fellow at the Wadsworth Center of the New York State Department of Health in the NanoBiotechnology Center, where he developed and studied microfabricated devices for single cell genetic analyses. He is currently a case-working forensic examiner at the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory in the Mitochondrial DNA Analysis Unit. In addition to case-work responsibilities, Les McCurdy is also leading the validation of mitochondrial DNA examinations by mass spectrometry at the FBI. |
| John Planz, Ph.D. John V. Planz received his doctorate in 1992 from the University of North Texas (UNT) – Denton in Population Genetics and Molecular Systematics. He completed his postdoctoral work at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Planz joined the UNT Health Science Center in 2000 as Associate Director of the UNT System Center for Human Identification Laboratory. Dr. Planz has helped to develop forensic testing capabilities at UNT and designed and directs the UNT Forensic Genetics graduate degree program. Dr Planz is also actively involved in the training of forensic analysts nationally and internationally in the areas of forensic statistics, population genetics and advanced DNA methods. His research interests include the study of genetic trends of molecular change in human and non-human populations, development and applications of DNA techniques for individual identification, assessment of genetically inherited mutations, assessment of parameters of population variability in DNA based samples, and the development and implementation of PCR-based DNA analysis methods in diagnostic testing. Dr. Planz currently serves as the chairman of the Missing Persons and Mass Disaster Subcommittee of the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM). |