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:
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.
| Courses related to Human Identification |
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| BSc Forensic Anthropology |
| MSc Forensic Facial Identification |
| CPD Disaster Victim Identification |
| CPD Juvenile Osteology |
| Sue Black Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology |
Director of CAHID, Human Identification research, expert forensic practitioner |
| Jan Bikker Postdoctoral Research Assistant |
FastID researcher |
| Catriona Davies PhD Research Student |
Age Estimation from the Skeleton of the Foot and Ankle |
| Roos Eisma Scientific Officer Thiel Cadaver Facility |
Responsible for the Thiel cadaver Facility, research and practice in CT based Forensic Anthropology. |
| Lucina Hackman DVI Program Co-ordinator/PhD Research Student |
Research into Age Estimation in the Living from Radiographs, DVI coordinator, and forensic case worker. |
| Xanth Mallett Lecturer and Admission Tutor for Anatomy & Forensic Anthropology |
forensic biometric human identification research, forensic anthropology teaching and case work |
| Helen Meadows Research Assistant |
