Forensic Science

In the case of a death, a pathologist, forensic odontologist, and /or toxicologist may examine a body to establish the cause of death, sometimes with the help of specialists such as entomologists and botanists who can help to clarify the time and place of death using pollens, grasses and /or insects remaining on the body and / or clothing. Criminal psychologists and psychiatrists may also help to provide a profile of the type of person capable of carrying out a specific crime.

Light microscopy is an important tool in the examination of crime scene evidence and in the examination of pathology samples. Polorizing microscopy can, for example, be used to characterize a variety of samples including hair, soil, and natural and man-made fibres. Surface characteristics of a variety of materials may be examined using stereomicroscopy and reflected light, DIC and other phase contrast techniques. Paint fragment sections may be examined using brightfield, fluorescence and /or polarized light Brightfield and fluorescence observations are also essential for examining pathology specimen slides. Digital imaging is ideal for documenting and quantifying findings using appropriate image analysis software. The ability to create an audit trail of imaging events is also helpful in identifying when the images where captured, by whom and whether or not images have been manipulated.