March 29, 2024
Updated April 11, 2025
19 minute read
Forensic Scientist
Forensic science is the application of scientific principles and techniques to criminal and civil investigations. It involves collecting, preserving, and analyzing physical evidence to help uncover facts in legal matters. Professionals in this field play a crucial role within the justice system, providing objective findings that can help solve crimes, exonerate the innocent, and ensure that justice is served.
Working as a forensic scientist can be deeply engaging. You might find yourself analyzing microscopic fibers to link a suspect to a crime scene, deciphering digital footprints left by cybercriminals, or presenting complex scientific findings clearly in a courtroom. The field constantly evolves with technology, offering continuous learning opportunities and the chance to contribute to significant advancements in investigative methods.
Overview of Forensic Science
Forensic science is a broad field that draws upon various scientific disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, geology, psychology, and computer science. Its primary goal is to provide impartial scientific evidence for use in courts of law and by other investigating bodies. This evidence helps reconstruct events, identify individuals, and determine connections between people, places, and objects.
Defining the Field
At its core, forensic science bridges the gap between science and the law. It's not just about performing tests in a lab; it's about understanding how scientific findings translate into legal contexts. Forensic scientists must adhere to strict protocols to ensure the integrity and admissibility of their findings in court. Their work demands precision, objectivity, and a deep understanding of scientific methodologies.
The scope is vast, covering everything from analyzing DNA found at a crime scene to examining the chemical composition of unknown substances. It also includes investigating digital devices for evidence of criminal activity or examining questioned documents for authenticity. The work contributes directly to public safety and the administration of justice.
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Find a path to becoming a Forensic Scientist. Learn more at:
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Reading list
We've selected some books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Forensic Scientist.
Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Brown's guide walks wet-lab and computational biologists through FASTQ quality filtering, Burrows-Wheeler read alignment, de novo assembly, GATK variant calling, and RNA-seq quantification.
A classic and comprehensive textbook for physical chemistry, covering thermodynamics, kinetics, quantum mechanics, and spectroscopy. It fundamental resource for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a deeper theoretical understanding of chemistry. It is widely used as a textbook globally.
Processing terabytes of raw Illumina and nanopore sequencing reads requires command-line fluency with samtools, bcftools, BAM/CRAM indexing, and bedtools genomic intervals. Buffalo teaches the indispensable Unix, R, and Python workflows behind modern sequencing pipelines.
Widely recognized and comprehensive textbook covering fundamental chemistry principles. It's commonly used in introductory undergraduate courses and provides a strong foundation for further study. It is particularly useful for gaining a broad understanding and serves as an excellent reference tool.
A widely used textbook for undergraduate organic chemistry courses, known for its clear explanations and extensive practice problems. is essential for students looking to deepen their understanding of organic structures, reactions, and mechanisms. It common textbook at academic institutions.
This textbook offers a molecular perspective on physical chemistry, linking microscopic properties to macroscopic behavior. It is an excellent resource for undergraduate and graduate students and is praised for its clarity and problem sets. It helps solidify understanding by connecting different scales.
Updated in its third edition to cover Oxford Nanopore and PacBio HiFi long-read sequencing alongside Illumina short reads and single-cell genomics, Antao provides modular Python recipes using Biopython, pysam, and Dask.
A comprehensive textbook covering the principles of inorganic chemistry, including bonding, structure, and the chemistry of the elements. It is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students and is known for its clear explanations and visual presentation. It is commonly used as a textbook.
This textbook provides a solid introduction to inorganic chemistry, balancing theoretical concepts with descriptive chemistry. It is appropriate for undergraduate students and is valued for its readability. It helps students build a firm understanding of the theoretical basis of inorganic chemistry.
This textbook offers a molecular perspective on chemistry, helping students connect macroscopic phenomena to the behavior of atoms and molecules. It is suitable for undergraduate students and is often used as a primary text in general chemistry courses. It provides a solid basis for understanding chemical principles.
Co-authored by leads from the Broad Institute's Data Sciences Platform, this practical handbook details the industry-standard GATK Best Practices pipeline for germline SNPs/indels, somatic cancer mutations, and structural variant discovery from whole-genome sequencing.
Focuses on the principles and applications of modern analytical instruments. It is crucial for students and professionals who need to understand how analytical techniques work. It serves as a valuable reference tool for those in research or industrial settings.
Taking an 'atoms first' approach, this textbook builds chemistry concepts starting from atomic structure. It is well-regarded for its clear writing and comprehensive problems, making it suitable for undergraduate general chemistry. is valuable for solidifying foundational knowledge.
Assembling millions of fragmented DNA sequencing reads into complete chromosomes hinges on Eulerian paths in de Bruijn graphs and Burrows-Wheeler suffix arrays. Compeau and Pevzner illuminate the exact combinatorial algorithms that power modern genome assemblers.
This comprehensive textbook covers all aspects of forensic pathology, from death investigation to forensic anthropology.
Details the wet-lab workflows, library preparation chemistries, and forensic/diagnostic protocols behind modern DNA sequencing. Dash and Elkins connect sample extraction and quality control to high-throughput sequencing accuracy across diverse biological matrices.
Library preparation chemistry—fragmentation, adapter ligation, target capture hybridization, and clonal amplification—determines the success of every high-throughput sequencing experiment. Primrose and Twyman explain the molecular enzymology underlying genomic workflows.
This textbook explores the chemistry of materials, linking their structure and properties to their applications. It is relevant for students interested in the intersection of chemistry and materials science, a key contemporary area. It adds depth by focusing on a specific application of chemical principles.
Introduces the principles and practices of green chemistry, focusing on environmentally friendly chemical processes. It is relevant for students and professionals interested in sustainable chemistry and its contemporary applications. It provides valuable additional reading on a modern topic.
This specialized book addresses the unique challenges of preserving digital evidence, including data acquisition, storage, and analysis. It provides practical guidance for digital forensic examiners and investigators.
Bridges classical molecular genetics and high-throughput genome assembly, comparative genomics, and transcriptomics. Arthur Lesk uses clear evolutionary case studies to show how raw sequencing reads translate into biological insight.
Provides an introduction to the theories and models used in computational chemistry. It is suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students interested in this increasingly important area of modern chemistry. It adds depth by exploring the computational aspects of chemistry.
This practical guide to forensic ballistics provides detailed information on the identification and analysis of firearms and ammunition.
This textbook provides a solid foundation in the fundamental principles of forensic science, with a focus on practical applications and real-world case studies.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the science of crime scenes, covering topics such as the collection and analysis of evidence, the reconstruction of crime scenes, and the identification of suspects.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the principles and practices of crime scene photography. It covers a wide range of topics, including camera equipment, lighting techniques, and photo documentation. It valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals in the field of forensic science.
Amplicon sequencing, library indexing, digital droplet quantification, and high-fidelity polymerase enrichment remain foundational steps in nearly every targeted DNA sequencing workflow. McPherson and Møller detail primer design and amplification troubleshooting.
Sequencing uncultured microbial communities via 16S rRNA marker genes and shotgun metagenomics has revolutionized microbiome research and environmental biosurveillance. Izard and Rivera cover DNA extraction bias, taxonomic binning, and functional profiling.
Delves into the cultural history of the elements, exploring their uses and significance throughout history and in everyday life. It offers a unique perspective on chemistry and is accessible to a broad audience. It provides valuable additional reading for a cultural appreciation of chemistry.
Provides step-by-step 2025 laboratory protocols for library prep, targeted capture, and multi-platform sequencing runs. Suravajhala and Bizzaro standardize troubleshooting checklists and quality metrics for clinical and research sequencing cores.
Walks bioinformaticians through read alignment, variant calling, RNA-seq quantification, and de novo assembly pipelines. Updated in 2024, Xinkun Wang's guide pairs statistical rigor with practical command-line workflows for modern sequencing datasets.
Founding editor of Nature Genetics Kevin Davies chronicles the fierce technological race among Solexa/Illumina, 454 Life Sciences, Complete Genomics, and Ion Torrent that drove the cost of sequencing a human genome down faster than Moore's Law.
Provides a more accessible and engaging introduction to chemistry concepts, focusing on the fascinating aspects of the subject. It is suitable for high school students and those with little to no prior chemistry background. It's great for sparking interest and gaining a broad, less technical understanding.
Applies deep learning, foundation models, and predictive analytics to high-throughput sequencing and multi-omics data. Raghavachari and Ahmed show bioinformaticians how AI accelerates variant interpretation and regulatory motif discovery.
Harvard geneticist David Reich reveals how clean-room extraction and high-throughput sequencing of degraded ancient DNA from Neanderthal, Denisovan, and prehistoric human petrous bones rewrote the entire history of human migration.
Droplet-based barcoding and unique molecular identifiers (UMIs) allow researchers to sequence transcriptomes, chromatin accessibility (scATAC-seq), and immune repertoires at single-cell resolution. Barh and Azevedo survey wet-lab protocols and cell-atlas analysis.
Connects classical Mendelian inheritance with 2026 high-throughput DNA sequencing, functional genomics, and quantitative proteomics. Austin Day equips molecular biology students with an integrated framework for interpreting modern multi-omic datasets.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the principles and practices of forensic investigation. It covers a wide range of topics, including crime scene investigation, forensic biology, and forensic chemistry. It valuable resource for students and professionals in the field of forensic science.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the field of criminalistics, which includes crime scene investigation, forensic biology, and forensic chemistry. It valuable resource for students and professionals in the field of forensic science.
Provides a concise overview of the principles and practices of crime scene investigation for first responders. It covers a wide range of topics, including crime scene documentation, evidence collection, and preservation of evidence.
This practical guide provides a concise overview of evidence preservation for law enforcement and forensic specialists, covering essential techniques and best practices.
Provides a practical guide to the principles and practices of crime scene investigation. It covers a wide range of topics, including crime scene documentation, evidence collection, and reconstruction of events. It valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals in the field of forensic science.
Combines evidence preservation and crime scene management, providing a comprehensive overview of best practices and procedures for crime scene investigators and forensic professionals.
Specifically addresses advanced digital evidence preservation techniques, offering practical guidance for forensic professionals on preserving and analyzing digital evidence securely.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/career/4ue9tf/forensic
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