(EFSI)
The Estonian Forensic Science Institute has extensive expertise in routine forensic DNA casework, biological evidence collection, and the interpretation of complex mixed samples, particularly in sexual assault investigations. The team combines hands-on laboratory experience with method development and validation, ensuring that new approaches are realistic, robust, and compatible with everyday forensic practice.
Within CapCell, EFSI will focus on the very first steps of the forensic process: how biological traces are collected, handled, and prepared before advanced analysis begins. By testing and comparing existing practices, EFSI will help identify practical ways to recover more intact cells from challenging samples. This ensures that the innovative technologies developed in CapCell are built around real-world forensic needs, can be adopted by routine laboratories, and ultimately improve the chances of obtaining useful DNA evidence in difficult cases.
I am a researcher at the Estonian Forensic Science Institute with a PhD in Applied Biology. My expertise lies in microscopy, with a focus on cellular structure and imaging. In CapCell, I apply this background to forensic samples, contributing to the development of methods that improve intact cell recovery in challeng-ing biological evidence.
I am a Junior Researcher and Laboratory Specialist at the Estonian Forensic Science Institute, working on the CapCell project within WP2. My work focuses on optimising intact cell recovery, and microfluidics-compatible sample preservation for single-cell DNA analysis. I hold a Master’s degree in Forensic Science from Uppsala University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Tartu. I have previous research experience in Estonia, Sweden, and the United States, with a strong background in DNA/RNA extraction, PCR/qPCR, sequencing work-flows, and contamination-controlled laboratory work.
I am a DNA Reporting Officer and Research Scientist at the Estonian Forensic Science Institute, holding a PhD in Natural Sciences. My research focuses on the application of kinship analysis in forensic DNA inves-tigations, particularly for the identification of human remains and contributors to complex crime scene sam-ples. The CapCell project holds a special place in my work, as it addresses one of the most persistent chal-lenges in forensic genetics: complex DNA mixtures from serious crime scenes that have, until now, re-mained uninterpretable. The emphasis is very much on until now.
