Unit 1.

1:
Investigating the
Scene Review
Principles of the Biomedical Sciences

What is Biomedical
Science?
What is Forensic
Science?

Biomedical Science:
The application of the
principles of the natural
sciences, especially
biology and physiology,
to clinical medicine.
Forensic Science:
The application of
scientific knowledge to
questions of civil and
criminal law.

What can be done at a

scene of a mysterious
death to help reconstruct
what happened?

Processing a Crime
Scene
Interview witnesses,
possible suspects, and
known associates.
Examine the crime scene
for all evidence in an
orderly fashion different
search methods.
Sketch the crime scene
using a key and scale.
Photograph the scene with
rulers for size estimation.
Collect and document all
physical evidence.

Link

Crime Scene Search

Methods

No set pattern
Finding associations between evidence
Works with large and small, indoor and outward

Line (Strip)
Straight lines in one direction
Used on large, outdoor crime scenes

Grid
Straight lines in one direction, then straight lines perpendicular to
the first set of lines
Used on large, outdoor crime scenes

Zone
Definable zones
Used on houses or buildings

Spiral (Inward or Outward)

Spiral inward or outward
Used on scenes without physical barrier (like open water)

Wheel or Ray
Start from a center point and move outward in many straight lines
Used on small, circular crime scenes

How do the clues found at

a scene of a mysterious
death help investigators
determine what might
have occurred and help
identify or exonerate
potential suspects?

Types of Testing
Presumptive Tests
Indicate which type
of substance is
present but cannot
specifically identify
the substance
Ex. Colorimetric
(color changes)

Confirmatory Tests
Specific tests that
can determine the
exact identity of the
substance
Ex. Gas
Chromatography or
Mass Spectrometry

Drug Analysis
Identify physical properties
Appearance, odor, texture

Identify chemical properties

Reactions with different
chemical indicators

Match substances with

similar physical and
chemical properties.

Blood Typing
Blood typing is more often used to eliminate suspects. Just because a
suspect has the same blood type found at a crime scene this does not
mean that it is their blood.
There are four basic blood types:
Type
Type
Type
Type

A has A antigens
B has B antigens
AB has A and B antigens
O has no antigens

Blood types can be found by adding antibodies to the blood and seeing if
the blood clumps.
Blood will clumps due to the antibody binding to the antigen. Antibodies
are specific to each antigen so only B antibodies will bind with B antigens.
Lets look at this animation: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/aniblood.htm

Blood Typing
Blood Type

Anti-A Serum

Anti-B Serum

- (no clumping)

- (no clumping)

+ (clumping)

- (no clumping)

- (no clumping)

+ (clumping)

AB

+ (clumping)

+ (clumping)

Type O does not clump with either antibody because it contains no

antigens.
Type A clumps only in the presence of A antibodies because it only
has A antigens.
Type B clumps only in the presence of B antibodies because it only
has B antigens.
Type AB clumps in the presence of both antibodies because it has
both antigens.

Fingerprint Analysis
No two people have the
same prints.
There are three main
patterns you need to
understand:
Loop
Whorl
Arch

More Info on Identifying these

patterns can be found at: http
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
IrpTqKkgygA

Fingerprint Analysis
In order to identify a fingerprint scientists must match
minutiae (specific ridge marks) between the crime scene
and suspects.
Match at least 12-15 points of similarity between the two
prints to establish that they are identical.

Hair Analysis
Cannot pinpoint a suspect with 100% certainty but it can help
eliminate persons of interest and provide clues as to who might have
been present at the scene of the crime.
At microscopic level:
Race, sex, age, origin.
Hair is made of keratin, a protein found throughout our
integumentary system.
It has three layers:
Cuticle-Cortex-Medulla

Look for distinguishing marks within these three layers.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/strands-of-evidence.html

Shoe Print Analysis

Can help match to a potential
suspect.
Almost all footwear bear
undersoles with distinctive
patterns.
Individuality can be seen in
the general wearing of the
shoe.
Weight
Walk
Size
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=7esqwmLmCs

Time of Death
Signs to estimate time of death:
Rigor mortis Tightening of the muscles after death.
Algor mortis Internal temperature cooling.
Lividity Blood pooling.
Amount of decomposition.
Drying of tissues.
Entomology study of bugs and when they arrive
after death.

Factors affecting Algor Mortis:

Clothing
Original internal temperature
Ambient temperature
Environment
Body size

Time of Death
Body will lose heat at a rate approximately one-and-a-half degree per
hour until it reaches the temperature of the surrounding environment.
Core body temperature is measured rectally or with a hypodermic probe of
the liver or brain (because of their large mass and density).

Ambient Temperature: the temperature in room or the temperature

surrounding an object.
The surface on which the body has come to rest affects the rate of
cooling.
Bodies lying on hot surfaces or in hot environments may increase in
temperature rather than cooling.
Bodies on frozen surfaces or in cooler environments may see an increase in
the cooling process.

Glaister Equation:
(98.4 measured rectal temperature)
1.5
= approximate hours since death

How do scientists design

experiments to find the
most accurate answer to
the question they are
asking?

Experimental Design
o Problem: Specific and measureable question

you are trying to answer.

o Hypothesis: Clear prediction of the

anticipated results of an experiment.

o Independent Variable: The variable that is

varied or manipulated by the researcher.

o Dependent Variable: The measurable effect,

outcome, or response in which the research

is interested.

Experimental Design
o Experiment: A research study conducted to

determine the effect that one variable has upon

another variable.
o Procedure
o Safety concerns, materials used, multiple trials

Personal Protective Equipment: Specialized clothing or

equipment, worn by an employee for protection against
infectious materials (as defined by OSHA).
o Reliable & Valid
o Random- Patients should be selected at random.
o Replication- How many times the experiment is repeated?
o Standardization- Each group should have the same conditions as

each other except for the independent variable. All extraneous

variables should be controlled and kept constant between groups.

Experimental Design
o Control Group: The group in an experiment where the

independent variable being tested is not applied so that

it may serve as a standard for comparison against the
experimental group where the independent variable is
applied.
o Positive Control: Group expected to have a positive result, allowing the researcher

to show that the experimental set up was capable of producing results.

o

For example, in an enzyme activity test to measure the amount of an enzyme in a set of
samples, a positive control would be an sample containing a known quantity of the
purified enzyme (while a negative control would contain no enzyme). The positive
control should give a large amount of enzyme activity, while the negative control should
give very low to no activity this would show that the experiment can produce results.

o Negative Control: Control group where conditions produce a negative outcome.

Negative control groups help identify outside influences which may be present
that were not accounted for when the procedure was created.
o

For example, in a drug study when a placebo (sugar pill) is given. This would have no
effect and be considered a negative control.

Experimental Design
Analyze Data and Observations/Graphs
Observations can be qualitative and quantitative.
When graphing the independent variable goes on the xaxis and the dependent variable goes on the y-axis.
The axes must be labeled with the name of variable, a unit,
and a scale.
Graphs must be titled as well.

Draw Conclusions
Must relate back to the hypothesis.

Summary
Explain your conclusion & clarify details
Discuss any possible sources of error

How are bloodstain

patterns left at a crime
scene used to help
investigators establish the
events that took place
during a crime?

Blood Spatter Analysis

Helps establish the events that took place;
help distinguish between an accident and
foul play; help determine if a weapon was
used; help determine the location of the
blood source (point of origin).
Things that affect blood spatter patterns:
Force
Height
Amount of blood
Angle
Objects in the way
How close the victim is to the
perpetrator

Http://science.discovery.com/tv-shows/
science-channel-presents/videos/discov
eries-this-week-blood-splatter.htm

Careers
911 Operator: responds to
an emergency call and
sends of the police, fire
fighters, etc. to the scene.
Emergency Medical
Technician (EMT): provides
immediate medical attention
at the scene of a crime,
accident, etc.
Crime Scene Investigator
(CSI): collects and analyzes
evidence found at the scene
of a crime.
Blood Spatter Analyst:
examine bloodstain patterns
and collect blood evidence
at the scene of a crime to
analyze.

Concept Maps &

Outlines
Concept Maps
Diagrams that visually represent the
connections between ideas, concepts, or
items.
Visualize ideas
Make connections

Outlines
Useful tool to help you study information or
organize your research in order to prepare a
report.
An overview of a document with the ideas or
information listed in a hierarchical order.
The main idea is at the top, followed by
secondary or supporting ideas called sub-topics.

An outline could be considered an ordered list

of the topics or ideas.

I. Main Idea
A. Sub-topic
#1
1. Detail
2. Detail
B. Sub-topic
#2
1. Detail
C. Sub-topic
#3

Documentation
Purpose:
Gives credibility to the information you are presenting
Allows someone to look up the source in order to obtain more
information
Gives credit to the original author(s)

Style: APA
In text citations: used immediately following (one the same
line or in the same paragraph) the information you used
from the source (Author, Date).
End of document citations: listed at the end of the
document in the bibliography or works citied.
The format varies depending on type of source.

Lab Safety
General Rules
Specific Categories: Clothing, Accidents & Injuries, Handling Chemicals,
Handling Glassware & Equipment, Heating Substances.

Reading Chemical Labels

Contains chemical name, first aid information, a safety guide, chemicals lot
number.

MSDS/SDS- Safety Data Sheets

Contains other names (synonyms) for the chemical, physical (appearance, pH)
and chemical (stability) properties, PPE required.

Symbols/Icons
Glassware Hazard, Eye Hazard, Eye Protection, Clothing Protection, Hand
Hazard, Hand Protection.

PPE: specialized clothing or equipment worn for protection against

infectious materials or equipment.
Examples: goggles, apron, gloves, face mask, lab coat.

Lab Equipment
Ring stand
Safety goggles
Test tubes
Test tube rack
Thermometer
Graduated cylinder
Well plate
Scoopula
Disposable pipets
Beaker
Pipet
Dropper

Microscope
Start on a lower power
objective.
Focus slowly with the course
knob by bringing the slide
stage up to the objective and
getting the image in view.
Adjust the fine knob to focus
the image clearly.
Adjust the amount of light by
opening or closing the
condenser or diaphragm.
Move to a higher power
objective and focus with the
fine knob.

Review Video Guide

Iceman Murder Mystery