Lavinia Iancu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Project: How do sealed decomposed remains affect the necrophagous entomofauna and the PMI estimation?
Mentor: Dr. Lavinia Iancu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice & Director of the Forensics Sciences Program; Rebecca Simmons, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Location: Department of Criminal Justice, Columbia Hall; Department of Biology, Starcher Hall
Description: Forensic Entomology is the study of using insects to estimate approximate time of death and to understand if a body has been moved from the original site where death occurred. As a body decomposes in natural environments, various insects begin to populate the corpse in a predictable sequence. While this sequence is known for many geographic localities, successional patterns are not well documented for the Northern Great Plains. Necrophagous insects also possess a unique gut microbial community that allows the insect to digest vertebrate remains; little is known about these symbiotic bacteria in this region. This research project will investigate what insects are visiting vertebrate corpses and the composition of their gut microbiome. The student will be involved in laboratory work that involves extracting, amplifying and sequencing DNA that will allow us to identify both necrophagous insects and their bacterial symbionts. The student will also have some opportunities to participate in gathering samples in the field from decomposing pigs, which are similar to humans.
