Biography

Jack Ballantyne is a Professor of Chemistry and the Director of the National Center for Forensic Science. He possesses a B.Sc. (with Honors) in Biochemistry from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, a M.Sc. in Forensic Science from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland and a PhD in Genetics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY. His current duties include teaching and conducting research in forensic molecular genetics.

Prior to entering academia, he was a casework forensic scientist in Scotland, Hong Kong and New York where he proffered expert testimony in the criminal courts of these jurisdictions. He was the full time DNA technical leader in Suffolk County, New York and then served as a part-time consultant DNA technical leader for the States of Mississippi and Delaware, the City of Dallas and Sedgwick County, Kansas. Inter alia, he served as the Chair of the New York State DNA Sub-committee and is a regular visiting guest at the FBI’s Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM)

His research group uses techniques and technologies of biochemistry, molecular biology and genomics to help forensic scientists retrieve more information from biological traces transferred during the commission of a crime. They take a problem-oriented practical problem approach to translational research. Currently his group’s main themes are (1) ACTIVITY, what happened? A crime scene DNA profile is recovered but what activity led to that finding? In other words, can we help provide context to the DNA profile. An example of this would whether it is possible to distinguish between innocuous consensual social intercourse versus criminal sexual intercourse. Biomarkers that distinguish saliva, skin, and vaginal secretions can be useful to distinguish these two possibilities. They have discovered such biomarkers, and they are RNA versus DNA based. In fact, they are intrigued by the potential applications of RNA in forensics and have helped establish the burgeoning field of RNA forensics. (2) SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATIONS. They are continuously working on extending the post coital time interval from which genetic identifying information from the semen donor can be obtained and recovering more probative from sexual assault evidence. Their previous efforts resulted in a national policy change in extending the time of recovery of evidence from rape victims. (3) TRACE DNA ANALYSIS, specifically using single cell genomic analysis. Mixtures of biological material from two or more persons are often encountered in forensic samples and the resulting mixed DNA profiles are often difficult to interpret and de-convolute. The ability to recover and genetically analyze individual cells from the different contributors by physical manipulation promises to be an important addition to forensic scientists’ toolbox.