The Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification is unique in that we combine expertise in forensic anthropology, disaster victim identification and anatomy. We are working on some new and exciting multi disciplinary approaches to identification all underpinned by anatomical information and understanding. The work on hand analysis and also the potential for fingerprint analysis is very exciting. We are a department whose teaching is led by our research and our research is led by our casework.  Therefore all elements of our human identification aspect of the Centre contribute to forensic investigative casework.

Staff at the Centre have national and international reputations in forensic anthropology, and several have practical experience of working in conflict zones including Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Iraq. Our staff is regularly contacted for advice and input in identification cases both at home and abroad. Recently, we have contributed to a number of high profile cases in which paedophiles were identified from features on their hands or other body parts. We regularly advise on the age of living individuals based on radiographs and CT-scans, and have been recognised as the forensic anthropology partner for remote analysis based on CT scans in case of a CBRN (chemical, radiological, biological, nuclear) incident. We provide the highly successful Virtual Anthropology Consultancy Service (VACS) which provides a quick answer to the question "is this bone human or non-human" when remains are found during for example building works.

Our research covers a number of subject areas including:

• Identification of age from the living which has particular relevance to asylum seekers and refugees
• Analysis of vein patterns for the purposes of identification from photographs
• Dermal fingerprint analysis
• General aspects of identification from the hand
• Body modification analysis for the purposes of identification
• Remote anthropology reporting
• Complimentarity of data recording for DVI purposes (FP7)
• Investigation of super identity (EPSRC)

Some of our work is presented in Axis, our online journal for postgraduate and undergraduate student research in the fields of anatomy, forensic anthropology, forensic and medical art, and human identification.

We collaborate with the Universities of Southampton, Warwick, Bath, Leicester and Kent on super id project. We have close links to the Netherlands Forensic Institute.
Gordon Cook at SUERC in relation to stable isotopes
Fiona Raitt (Law) re recent funding for workshops on Scots law of evidence
Niamh NicDaeid (Strathclye) re recent funding for workshops on investigation of fires
Interpol, Plassdata, Fraunhofer institute re FASTid project

The University of Dundee is the only UK institution to offer study progression from undergraduate to doctoral level in this subject. The Forensic Anthropology degree provides the first stage in the Forensic Anthropology Career Path offered by this University.

CAHID is responsible for training the UK police forces for deployment as part of the UKDVI team in mass fatality incidents worldwide.