The Use of Molecular Markers in Forensic Field as an Element of Scientific Evidence

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, research on the role of molecular markers has had a significant increase in the forensic field. Biochemical markers are analyzed in the blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, or other biological samples. They may provide information about the cause of death and the post-mortem interval (PMI). The forensic molecular pathology procedure can be integrated into routine work to improve and to reinforce morphological evidence. It could be applied in medical sciences to investigate the pathophysiology of the diseases and trauma that led to death. For example, the immunohistochemical characteristics of vitality in hanging and the identification of the most significant vitality markers on ligature marks could be useful to determine whether the hanging was committed as suicide or as a simulated hanging. For tissue identification in a forensic context, it is possible to employ many molecular markers, such as mRNA, miRNA, DNA methylation, and microbial markers. Biochemical markers, using a femoral venous blood sample, can also detect cerebral damage and acute phase response in early post-mortem through measurements of GFAP, NSE, and BDNF. In the context of molecular pathology, the subjects include: postmortem interval determination via miRNAs, mRNAs, or microbial markers and cause of death by cardiac disease determined via mRNA markers or by drowning through microbial markers. Microbial markers could also help to mark a fatal hospital infection or to compare ante-mortem burns and post-mortem burns using an mRNA marker. The objective of this Special Issue is to collect original and review articles to provide several markers for forensic pathologists to be used as scientific evidence for forensic research and justice.

Dr. Angelo Montana
Dr. Margherita Neri
Guest Editors

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