Internal News Archive

October 20^th 2019: Pig decomposition experiment at the institute

Images: Janine Geissenberger
A new study has been performed in collaboration of the Departments for Forensic Medicine and Biosciences, investigating postmortem protein degradation patterns in amputated pig hind limbs. These were stored for 7 days at 30 °C and muscle samples were collected at predefined time points. Biochemical analyses of collected samples will provide additional knowledge about postmortem decomposition patterns of muscle proteins. The results will contribute to a multi-factorial protein degradation model, which will be used to improve time since death estimation.  

August 30th 2019 Site Visit – Forensic Research Station Amsterdam  

Images: Stefan Pittner
In the summer of 2018 two corpses of body donors were buried at a forensic research outdoor facility in Amsterdam as part of an international research cooperation project between the Dept. of Forensic Medicine Salzburg and research groups from Great Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. This summer those two bodies were exhumed and analyzed. Additionally, tissue samples were taken for various research projects. The cooperation with this – in Europe unique – forensic research facility and the associated research groups is an exceptional opportunity for the Department to conduct advanced practical forensic research.

June 30^rd 2019: Research travel to forensic institutions in the USA

Images: Stefan Pittner
Scientists of the Departments of Forensic Medicine and Biosciences participated in a research travel to the United States. Visits of the Chief Medical Examiner from Detroit/MI, Dr. Carl Schmidt, the Mikrobiome-Lab of Dr. Eric Benbow and Dr. Jennifer Petchal in East Lansing/MI, the “Forensic Research Outdoor Station” (FROST) in Marquette/MI, directed by Dr. Jane Wankmiller and the Coroner of Jackson County/WY, Dr. Brent Blue were among the highlights. 
We discussed our ongoing collaborations, initiated new mutual research projects and gave talks about the research in Salzburg in the course of two public seminars. 
 Seminar at the North Michigan University
 TV News about our seminar at NMU

May 15th 2019: Opening ceremony of the new autopsy room and offices in Linz

Image: Linz AG
A new autopsy room and offices were opened in the Johann-Metz-Staße in Linz. DI Werner Sonnleitner, manager of the LINZ SERVICE GmbH, Mag.a Karin Weilguny, department manager of the Linz AG funeral home, Univ. Prof. Dr. Rudolf Feik, Vice Rector of the University of Salzburg and Univ. Prof. Dr. Fabio Monticelli, director of the Deparment of Forensic Medicine, cut the opening ribbon with scalpels. It was a well attended and festive celebration.
 Press release of the Linz AG

January 25th 2019: Science Talk at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research

Image: Andy Wetzel/BKA 
Prof. Dr. Fabio Monticelli and Ass.Prof. Dr. Stefan Pittner are invited to the “Science Talk” with the topic “Science in duty of criminal justice. Reality vs Fiction”, at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. Together with other experts in the field they answer questions on applied methods and possibilities and also discuss future challenges in forensic research and routine work.
 https://bmbwf.gv.at/das-ministerium/veranstaltungen/science-talk

January 23rd 2019: Conspiracy theory debunked by DNA analysis