Forensic Anthropology

"Forensic anthropology is the application of the science of physical anthropology to the legal process in order to identify human remains and assist in the detection of crime. Due to the increasing number of single forensic cases (along with mass disasters and war-related crimes) requiring expertise in the retrieval, recovery, identification and medico-legal study of badly decomposed, burnt and skeletonised human remains, forensic anthropology is a discipline frequently requested by magistrates and courts. Examples of cases in which expertise in forensic anthropology are required are: scenes of crime involving badly charred bodies, skeletonised remains, buried remains; the diagnosis of species of origin of skeletal remains; the diagnosis of post-mortem interval of skeletonised and/or buried remains; building a biological profile of unidentified remains (sexing, aging, diagnosis of race, stature, build, dental status, facial reconstruction); personal identification by comparison of bone and dental morphology, facial features; identification of living individuals; age determination of living individuals; the study and interpretation of trauma on skeletal remains, recovery and identification of victims of mass disasters, war crimes, and torture."

(Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe)

The Forensic Anthropology Study and Research Group (FASRG) was established in 2003 by Dr. René Gapert, Dr. Jason Last and Dr. Cliona McGovern. It briefly became the Forensic Anthropology Unit before moving from its former home at Earlsfort Terrace to the new Health Sciences Centre in Belfield.  Here it became incorporated into the new UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science. The group consist of four members, the aforementioned and Dr. Jean O'Connor.

René has completed his Ph.D. in Forensic and Physical Anthropology and Human Anatomy at UCD in December 2009. He trained as a medical dissector (Anatomy, Pathology and Forensic Pathology) in Berlin, Heidelberg, and Düsseldorf, Germany and came to Ireland in 1999.
He is the official representative of the German War Graves Commission (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.) in Ireland and is responsible for the German war memorial and cemetery in Glencree, Co. Wicklow.
He aims to promote forensic anthropology within a multi-disciplinary approach to forensic investigations.

Jean is a full-time lecturer in anatomy and anthropology at UCD.  She holds a M.Sc. in Forensic and Biological Anthropology from Bournmouth University.  Jean has completed her Ph.D. research in Forensic and Physical Anthropology and Human Anatomy and is the coordinator for the Introduction to Physical and Forensic Anthropology module at UCD.

Dr. Last is the Head of Teaching and Learning at UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science.  He is also a full-time lecturer in Human Anatomy and Physical Anthropology. He has a keen interest in forensic anthropology and supervises a number of PhD projects in this field. As well as working as a medical practitioner, Dr. Last is also the principal investigator within the Osteo-Lab.

Cliona is a lecturer in the Department of Forensic Medicine in UCD. She has recently received her PhD with specialisation in Coroner's Law. Dr. McGovern is the contact point and media liaison officer within the Forensic Anthropology Unit.

The Osteology Laboratory (Osteo-Lab) was established at UCD to permit postgraduate research and to facilitate forensic physical anthropological analysis of human remains. Age, sex, ethnicity, stature, trauma, disease and taphonomy are assessed in the laboratory.
The Osteo-Lab is equipped with osteometric boards, spreading calipers, digimatic sliding calipers, craniometers, mandibulometers, a Mollison's craniophore, a simometer and software for geometric morphometric analyses. A small maceration unit allows for the removal of soft tissue and fatty residues resulting in completely cleaned bones.  Furthermore, a 3D Laser Scanning unit is being set up within the laboratory.  There is in-house access to stereo-microscopy and radiography as well as molecular analytical technology.

A casting area is provided where bones with interesting features (sharp force trauma, bullet entry- and exit wounds, pathologies, etc.) can be replicated in resin or plaster for future reference and education.
The laboratory is mainly utilised by researchers involved in osteological research in different specialities (forensic, clinical, archaeological, etc.).

Current users of the Osteo-Lab:
Dr. René Gapert is involved in investigating the possibilities of identifying sex differences in the occipital region of human skulls, analysing human skeletal remains recovered from Caherquin in County Kerry, setting up a 3D Laser Scanning section within the laboratory and aiding in the digital identification of bones recovered from World War II sites in Western and Eastern Europe.
Dr. Jean O'Connor, who holds an MSc in Forensic and Biological Anthropology (Bournemouth), has just completed her Ph.D. investigating post-cranial epiphyseal union as an age estimation technique from skeletal remains.  Jean is a full-time lecturer in anatomy and anthropology at UCD.
Mr. David MacGahan, who is in his second year of pursuing a MSc in anatomy and physical anthropology, examines the position of mental foramen of the mandible in Irish populations.