Forensic Botany Uses Plant DNA to Trace Crimes
Sam Houston State University is advancing the field of forensic botany with the publication of two recent studies that use marijuana DNA to link drug supplies and pollen DNA to aid in forensic investigations.
In an article published in the International Journal of Legal Medicine, faculty and graduate students from the Department of Forensic Science report that they developed a test to individualize samples of marijuana that could be used to link drugs across cases. The study examined 11 cases containing a total of 199 samples from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which included four matching genotypes indicating drugs came from the same source.
To hear a radio interview on Dr. Gangitano's plants studies, visit Houston Public Radio.
Vol 18 No 32