U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Funding & Awards
 Expanding and validating microbiome database for estimating the postmortem interval
Award Information
Awardee
              COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Award #
              15PNIJ-22-GG-04402-MUMU
Funding Category
              Competitive Discretionary
Location
                    FORT COLLINS, CO
Congressional District
              2
Status
              Open
Funding First Awarded
              2022
Total funding (to date)
              $834,503
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY22 Research and Development in Forensic Sciences for Criminal Justice Purposes
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2022, $834,503)
Time of death is important for death investigations, particularly criminal investigations for which alibis must be verified. However, it can be difficult to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) after the first several days of death, especially in the absence of other physical evidence such as last known communications or insect activity. Over the last decade, the proposal investigators have demonstrated the power of microbiome-based estimates of PMI with a mouse model system (2011-DN-BX-K533), and then translated estimates to humans by utilizing multiple U.S. anthropological forensic research facilities (2015-DN-BX-K016, 2016-DN-BX-0194). Recent research by the proposal investigators generated a machine learning model utilizing 16S rRNA gene amplicon data from skin and soil samples associated with 36 human cadavers collected daily for 21 days from three forensic facilities, which predicts PMI within approximately +/- 3 days over the first 21 days postmortem. Thus, this new tool provides useful accuracy for crime scene investigations. In the proposed research, the first goal is to expand the 36-body PMI microbiome database by collecting similar sample types from an additional 18 human cadavers from two additional facilities, which are in a climate type not yet represented in the PMI database. This additional collection will bring Köppen-Geiger classified climate types in the database to include three of the major U.S. climate types. The new and existing data will together train a new machine learning model for estimating PMI that will be more generalizable across climates represented in the U.S. Second, an independent test set of samples from cadavers that are not part of the 54-body training set will be used to validate the model generated in Goal 1. Samples will be collected from cadavers from locations represented in the training set, and also from new locations not represented in the training set. From these data, generalizability and accuracy of the model will be assessed for predicting PMI across climates, individual locations, and decomposition time frames in the U.S. The purpose of the proposed research is to create and validate a microbial-based model to predict PMI across locations in the U.S. The proposed applied research seeks to improve forensic science for criminal justice purposes by increasing knowledge about a potential new type of physical evidence (microbes) and focuses on developing a tool in which the microbiome present on skin or in nearby soils is used as physical evidence to estimate PMI.
Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law," and complies with Part 200 Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR  200.210(a)(14). CA/NCF

  
Date Created: September 27, 2022
    
          Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              Current Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Forthcoming Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Expired Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
    
      
            
            
            
      Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
    
      
            
            
            
      Fellowship & Student Programs
    
      
            
            
            
      Travel Scholarships
    
      
            
            
            
      NIJ Challenge ProgramSimilar Awards
        
                      Pivoting Headspace Ethanol Analysis to Accommodate Modern Day Scenarios
                  Developmental Validation of a Novel Multi-analyte Recovery Method for Trace Biological Samples
                  Operationalizing the Individual versus Group Fairness Dichotomy for Recidivism Risk Assessment: US Legal Challenges and Technical Proposals
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov