Peter M. Schneider
Peter Matthias Schneider (born 31 May 1955) is a German forensic geneticist. He is a full professor at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University of Cologne. Biography. Schneider has studied biology at the University of Bonn until 1983. Between 1984 and 1986, he worked as visiting research fellow at the Children's Hospital Boston of Harvard Medical School on the genetic structure of the fourth component of the human complement system. He obtained his Ph.D. in 1987 at the University of Mainz and his habilitation in immunology in 1996, when he was promoted to assistant  professor. In 2004, he became full professor and head of the Division of Forensic Molecular Genetics at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University of Cologne. Research. Parallel to his work in complement and immunogenetics, Schneider has focussed his scientific interest early on the development of modern DNA profiling methods for DNA paternity testing and forensic DNA analysis of biological evidence in criminal casework. He has held the role of coordinator in several international projects funded by European Union Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development, such as the FP5 project "High Throughput Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms for  the Identification of Persons - SNPforID" (2002–2005), and the FP7 project "European Forensic Genetics Network of Excellence - EUROFORGEN-NoE" (2012–2016). In a collaboration with the UK-based charitable organisation Sense about Science, the consortium has produced the guide "Making Sense of Forensic Genetics" explaining the state-of-the-art in DNA Profiling, National DNA databases and forensic DNA phenotyping. He is work package leader in the "VISible Attributes Through GEnomics -- VISAGE" Consortium, a Horizon 2020 funded EU project developing new methods for DNA-based predictions of appearance, ancestry and chronological age of unknown contributors of biological stains in criminal casework, using  massively parallel sequencing technology. Schneider is participating actively in the scientific and public debate about introducing forensic DNA phenotyping into the German Code of Criminal Procedure, and using DNA methylation analysis to predict the age of young refugees in the context of the European migrant crisis. He has published several peer-reviewed articles addressing the current state and future perspectives of DNA-based phenotype predictions in criminal casework. In 2006, Schneider was awarded the prize of the German "Konrad Händel Foundation" for his outstanding scientific achievements and his merits in the field of the administration of justice. Peter M. Schneider