Ahhh Kigali! I knew it would be different, but it has been extraordinary, and I know I do not stand alone in saying this, as I have heard it echoed all around me this week while attending the 10th ASFM Conference held in the Heart of Africa, Kigali, Rwanda. Rwanda does not feel like it is situated in Africa. You can safely walk around the city 24/7 and will not find so much as a shred of litter on the streets. Its citizens are proud, peaceful, hardworking and ambitious and its administration is highly functional. The Minister of Justice gave the closing address last night and he blew us away with the way in which he articulated his vision of progression in Rwanda. And we should see this as something that is within all of our reach. Because the possible has happened here after the impossible. Rwanda has shone a light not only what can be done in Africa, but what should be done. Murakoze to the Rwandan Forensic Lab. led by the indomitable Dr Charles Karanga, and the Rwandan Government for your hospitality and generosity this week - the ASFM meeting would not have happened without your support. You are blazing a trail and your vision and passion to take forensics forward is exemplary. If you have been following our social platforms this week, you would have seen some of the exceptional work that has been presented @asfm2023. Forensic experts working in Africa require a deep understanding and knowledge of the application of forensic science in the African context and this conference achieved just that - it covered advances being made in forensic science, as well as the challenges and gaps that require the adoption of practical solutions, policies and infrastructures that are not only unique to Africa but will work in Africa. This event also highlighted the importance of understanding that every case requires a wholistic approach, and often the simplest approach is the most successful. Further that working in a forensic environment means that the investigative chain is as strong as its weakest link - a piece of evidence may be handled by multiple forensic disciplines, and will rise or fall, with any one of those units, as the case may be. I have used this week’s #FF edition to share some of the interesting work I have seen here, from the illuminating panel discussion I moderated on the use of DNA technologies to identify the missing and deceased, to scarification (a riveting presentation by a shining young star, Tumisang, originally from Zimbabwe), to a hit and run case solved with touch DNA. We also celebrated the launch of AFSA, the first registered professional representative body for forensic science practitioners in Africa. As always, these meetings provide a space for future collaborations and I am incredibly excited about some of the new projects we will be working on going forward. I close this week with the beautiful message of Ubumuntu, the Kinyarwandan word for what we also know as Ubuntu. I visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial this week, the final resting place for more than 250,000 of the one million victims of the Genocide in Rwanda. Words can’t really describe the horror depicted and human suffering described. However, the triumph of the Rwandan's over such extreme adversity and the message of Ubumuntu . . . kindness, humanity, or greatness of heart - was deeply felt. In the context of the genocide it has been used to describe the rescuers that saved others at great personal expense - a philosophy premised on the idea that a person is a person through other people. In other words, I am because you are. Yours in forensics, Vanessa |
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10th ASFM CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS |
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If you weren't able to join us, CLICK HERE to watch the highlights we captured at the ASFM conference this week. |
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PANEL DISCUSSION: OUTCOMES |
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DNAforAFRICA hosted a panel discussion this week which was facilitated by Vanessa Lynch and centred around the high number of unidentified and unclaimed decedents in Africa and how we can reduce these numbers, as well as examine difficult cases where DNA has helped with identifying human remains. The audience thoroughly engaged with our esteemed panelists and would have gone on all night, were it not for the meet and greet cocktail function offered as part of the panel event! Thank you to everyone who participated in making this panel discussion so fruitful, and to our sponsors Thermo Fisher Scientific! READ THE DISCUSSION POINTS HERE |
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THE STORY OF A COCONUT, A MOUSE AND TOUCH DNA |
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"An easy way to think about electrothermal entry is mice travelling 'one over C squared' i.e. one over the speed of light squared!" is how Prof. Ryan Blumenthal explained Electropathology this week. A forensic pathologist at Pretoria University in South Africa, Ryan is widely published in the fields of lightning, suicide and other areas involving the pathology of trauma. His book, ‘Autopsy – Life in the trenches with a forensic pathologist from Africa’ is a non-fiction best-seller and helps in demystifying the field of forensic pathology. Ryan is also about to drop his next riveting book, so watch this space for news on that too! After regaling Vanessa with intriguing stories of his work 'in the trenches', she asked him to write a short piece for this week's #FF, including a fascinating hit-and-run case blamed on a coconut, but which was solved through touch DNA. Ryan also spoke to Vanessa about the need to make it mandatory for DNA to be sampled on ALL homicide victims including hit and run victims. READ MORE HERE! |
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TRULY AFRICAN RESEARCH: SCARIFICATION & TRIBAL MARKINGS |
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When Tumisang Mbedzi stood up to present this week, the usual 'buzz and mutter' in the conference hall quickly subsided, as she continued with her presentation, holding everyone's attention for the duration of her talk. While not strictly DNA, it speaks about a holistic approach to human identification and was so interesting that we asked her to give us a sneak preview of her research: Disaster Victim Identification and Migration - The Value of Using Scarification and Tribal Markings as Secondary Identifiers in Mass Fatality Incidents and Determining Source of Origin. A practice as old as mankind, body modifications have triumphed throughout history. Scarification has prevailed in Africa. Their striking visibility and irreversible effects of keloids on dark skin influenced the choice of body modification. When any mass fatality incident occurs, disaster victim identification must be carried out; and all the legal and humanitarian responsibility befalls the forensic community despite the cause. Identification will always be of prime importance both in life (ante-mortem) and after death (post-mortem) for both judicial reasons and providing closure for family members. Whilst the process of human identification relies heavily on primary data such as fingerprints odontology and DNA profiling, reconciliation is dependant on the availability of both PM and data. Scarification and tribal marks have the cogency of symbolising identity both ante and post-mortem. In African settings where there is no availability of AM and PM data, markings can potentially be used in lieu of PM data to determine source of geographical location. Patterns and scars are unique amongst certain cultural groups and vary in terms of size, type and body positions. Lastly, there has been an increase in migrants arriving at mortuaries, and they are often labelled unknown because of their lack of identification. Scarification has the potential to define origin and link the deceased to their families. |
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HOW GENETICS ALSO HELPS SUPPORT GORILLA CONSERVATION |
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After a week in Kigali, Vanessa is heading to the hills to visit the Volcano Mountain Park and see the incredible Mountain Gorilla's. Classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), approximately 360,000 western lowland gorillas remain in the wild. However, poaching, habitat destruction, and disease are also threatening their survival. Illegal trafficking continues despite international protection laws. The iConserve project is using DNA technology to map genetic diversity to identify where confiscated gorillas come from and boost survival rates. What they hope to learn through genomic data is: How gorilla genetics vary across their habitat range in West and Central Africa. Where in the wild an individual gorilla comes from and should be reintroduced. Where poachers are capturing specific gorillas.
Follow Vanessa's journey here next week as she shares this once-in-a-lifetime experience. |
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#DNACRUSADER OF THE WEEK: DR GRACE MIDIGO, PATHOLOGIST |
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Dr Grace Midigo is a Pathologist at the Ministry of Health, Division of Forensic and Pathology services, who joined us in Kigali this week to participate in our panel discussion around DNA technologies in human identification. It was great to catch up with her and she shared more about her work in Kenya. What is the standard of Forensic Medicine in your country? Forensic Medicine tends to be more advanced in Kenya than in neighbouring countries because the Government of Kenya has dedicated more resources into Forensic, investing in infrastructure, human resources and laws governing Forensic Medicine. What role does forensic DNA play in your work? Most of my work focuses on Human identification through DNA analysis. This allows us to release the bodies from the mortuary to the right relatives through proper identification of missing persons through DNA analysis. It also aids in identification of perpetrators in rape victim for justice to be served. Can you share some of your most pressing issues? Issues faced here include the lack of reagents, so we are lobbying for more funds to be allocated for reagents by the government. We are also agitating the Government and NGOs to help us set up more laboratories, at least one laboratory per county. Lack of DNA analysis in mass burials due to unclaimed bodies is a challenge, so we we are pushing for laws stating that ALL unclaimed bodies should undergo DNA analysis before mass burials. How did you enjoy the ASFM 2023 this week? It was very exciting participating, and am hoping for the better use of DNA analysis in human identification across the continent, and also to improve access to justice for rape victims by proving that using DNA analysis in court will help convict the real perpetrators. FOLLOW GRACE HERE |
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LAUNCH: AFRICAN FORENSIC SCIENCE ACADEMY (AFSA) |
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We are excited to announce that the African Forensic Sciences Academy (AFSA) launched at the ASFM 2023 conference in Kigali, Rwanda. AFSA is registered as an International NGO in Rwanda by the RGB as of yesterday – with an aim to be the voice of all forensic science practitioners in Africa! AFSA has a great team and network and will work to strengthen the forensic science networks and highlight African forensic science expertise in Africa. Their mission is described as "Together for Excellence, Integrity, and Innovation in Forensic Sciences in Africa" and over time AFSA activities will be rolled out either in online or in-person format. AFSA envisages training programmes in various formats, development of best-practice guidelines, webinars, workshops and much more! Africans doing it for Africa! REGISTER TO JOIN HERE |
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Together we are DNAforAfrica, and together, we are UNSTOPPABLE! |
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Follow our Journey @DNAforAFRICA | |
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