The Forensic
Science department is located at the corner of 21st and H streets on
the
Foggy Bottom Campus.The department houses faculty offices in addition
to
laboratory facilities which are available for students doing thesis
research
and class laboratory assignments.
Microscope
and Chemistry
Laboratories
The Microscope Lab hosts
numerous microscopes
and other instruments for trace evidence analysis and ballistic
examinations
among other techniques.
A Mettler hot stage and comparison
microscope are available for refractive index measurements.Two
comparison microscopes and numerous
transmitted light microscopes provide a means to examine hairs, fibers,
glass, and soil.
Two ballistic comparison microsopes
are used for examining cartridges, bullets, and toolmarks.
The comparison microscopes are a
necessary tool in the analysis of hairs and fibers.
Students have access to the mass spectrometer in
the chemistry department.
The forensic science department has its own
scanning electron microscope.
View of the forensic chemistry laboratory.
Another view of the forensic chemistry laboratory.
Molecular
Biology Laboratory
The Forensic Molecular Biology Laboratory
is 1100 square feet and includes an autoclave, PCR hood,
gel-electrophoresis
equipment, digital photography equipment, and water purification system
in addition to PC and Macintosh computers.
The ABI 310 Autmated sequencer is used for DNA
sequencing, mtDNA analysis, and STR analysis for human and other
species.
The department has two thermal cyclers
used for PCR amplification and sequence analysis. The laboratory
has separate laboratory space for pre and post amplification analysis
to
reduce contamination.
PCR Preparation hood
Digital image capture is avaliable for analysis of
gel electrophoresis documentation.
The George Washington
University
Department of Forensic Sciences
2036 H St., Samson Hall
Washington, D.C. 20052
