Dr Jennifer Young

As a forensic scientist, my research focusses on the application of advanced DNA sequencing technology to answer questions related to crime.  

My PhD research pioneered the use of new metagenomic DNA sequencing approaches for soil forensic DNA profiling: discriminating between crime sites, linking a suspect to a location, locating hidden burials and estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) for buried remains. Following this, I applied my knowledge of environmental metagenomics to answer questions related to biodiversity changes through time. Projects included: (1) examination of coral-macroalgae interactions in the Great Barrier Reef using sediment DNA up to 1,000 years old; (2) examination of low biomass microbial diversity preserved in Ancient Antarctic Ice cores and (3) reconstruction of past environments from ancient New Zealand paleosols up to 10,000 years old. 

My recent research focussed on hybridisation enrichment optimisation to aid in the repatriation of missing Australian WWII servicemen from highly degraded human remains recovered internationally by the Unrecovered War Casualties – Army (UWCA).