Evaluating the Skin Microbiome as Trace Evidence

Rob Knight, Jessica L. Metcalf, Jack Gilbert, David O. Carter

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PURPOSE

The purpose of this project was to characterize basic transfer properties of an individual's unique skin microbial community to common surface materials, and to assess whether it is possible to characterize an individual's skin microbial handprint after a person is deceased. We had the following specific objectives in mind.

• Objective 1: Determine whether the sequence in which surfaces are touched by the same person influences the detection of an identifiable skin microbial signature.


• Objective 2: Determine whether the number of times a surface is touched by the same person influences the detection of an identifiable skin microbial signature.


• Objective 3: Determine whether individual skin microbial signatures are recoverable after multiple people have touched an object.


• Objective 4: Determine the stability of microbial signatures on surfaces over time.


• Objective 5: Determine the magnitude of change in microbial skin communities during morgue cooler storage (relative to initial samples at death scene).

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Read the report:

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