Become a Research Partner             Biology             Chemistry             Physical Sciences: Firearms Unit & Documents Unit             Toxicology             CFS-Wide Research             About us             Contact us             Past & Present Research Partners             CFS & Partners Publications		WHAT WE DO The CFS engages in Research & Development to ensure that cutting edge forensic science is used to deliver services to official investigative agencies and to advance the discipline. We seek to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our forensic analyses and examinations. Our focus is on transformative technologies and on enhancing the objective nature of our work. Click on "About Us" to learn more. HOW? The CFS seeks to develop research collaboration with academic institutions, other Ontario Ministries and industry partners who have capacity and expertise to deliver research projects that align with our research priorities. We may have human and material resources available to contribute to projects that support our research mandate. Click on "Become a Research Partner" link to learn more.

Home / Become a Research Partner

WANT TO PARTNER WITH US? There are two ways to enter into a research partnership with the CFS: 1. Express interest in a posted proposal by copying the project title into the partnership survey, then completing and submitting the survey. Unassigned CFS research proposals will be posted for at least 30 days to allow partners to express interest in a research collaboration. CFS will evaluate submissions and select the partner best suited to each specific collaboration. 2. Submit your own research proposal by clicking this link and completing the research partner proposal survey. Such proposals should align with the CFS research priorities outlined below. The CFS R&D Unit will review all such proposals with CFS Section management and/or staff to identify interest and capacity in the proposed collaboration.

Home / Biology

CURRENT SECTION PRIORITIES 1.   Study and better understand the factors which influence the transfer and persistence of biological fluids and DNA, so that we can better answer questions with respect to how and when the trace evidence came to be deposited, and not just who it may have originated from. 2.   To better understand population structures in the province of Ontario. In particular, to determine allele frequencies in major populations for a variety of autosomal markers of forensic significance, whether Short Tandem Repeat (STR) loci or Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) loci. In addition, to determine frequencies for relevant lineage marker haplotypes from the Y-chromosome and from the mitochondrial genome, in the same major populations.

Biology Projects Click on the project title link(s) below to see individual project details

Home / Chemistry

CURRENT SECTION PRIORITIES 1. Study and better understand the factors which influence the transfer and persistence of trace evidence, so that we can better answer questions with respect to how and when the trace evidence came to be deposited, and not just suggest the potential source of the trace evidence. 2. Develop new methods to characterise trace evidence using Raman spectroscopy and time of flight mass spectrometry. 3. Develop new, and expand existing, trace evidence reference collections. This involves the collection and analysis of trace evidence exemplars with the goal of enhancing the objectivity of comparisons made between reference material and case material. Our initial focus will be on automotive carpet fibres, architectural paints, zip ties, plastic bags and adhesive tapes.

Chemistry Projects Click on the project title link(s) below to see individual project details.

Home / Physical Sciences: Firearms Unit & Documents Unit

CURRENT SECTION PRIORITIES 1. Enhance the objectivity of firearms and ammunition examinations and comparisons. 2. Enhance the objectivity of handwriting analysis and comparisons.

Physical Sciences Project Proposals Click on the project title link(s) below to see individual project details.

Home / Toxicology

CURRENT SECTION PRIORITIES 1. Review CFS case data to evaluate and publish trends in the following areas.       a. Alcohol and / or drug impaired driving.     b. The role of drugs, other than alcohol, in fatal motor vehicle collisions.     c. Investigations of individuals who have died while in custody and the         death is opioid-related. 2. Develop or expand data sets to inform interpretation of toxicological fidings in     forensic casework.

Toxicology Project Proposals Click on the project title link(s) below to see individual project details.

Home / CFS-Wide research

CURRENT PRIORITIES         1. Review and publish data sets associated with method validations for all operational sections. 2. Review, evaluate and publish historical case data relevant to public safety. 3. Develop tools to measure the evidentiary value of forensic science investigations to clients and stakeholders (e.g. police, legal counsel, court system, etc.)

CFS-Wide Project Proposals  Click on the project title link(s) below to see individual project details.

Home / About us

Ontario's Centre of Forensic Sciences (CFS) is one of the most extensive forensic science facilities in North America. It conducts scientific investigations in cases involving injury or death and in cases involving crimes against persons or property. Our mission We are dedicated to enhancing the safety of Ontario’s communities and to supporting justice by providing timely and high quality forensic science services. Our culture of innovation is focused on the development of forensic science services that anticipate the needs of public safety and the justice system.   Our research mandate Increased Efficiency: a reduction of money, time, labour required to deliver a product or service.   Increased Effectiveness: the degree to which something is successful in producing a desired result.   Transformation: a thorough or dramatic change in form or function. Increased Objectification: to remove or reduce subjective cognitive influences on the completion of a task

The CFS is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). ANAB is a signatory of both the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA).

Home / Contact Us

	CONTACT US
	Forensic Services and Coroners Complex (FSCC) 25 Morton Shulman Avenue Toronto, Ontario M3M 0B1 General Inquiries (647) 320-1320 Research & Development Inquiry (647) 329-1395 or Steven.Lintlop@Ontario.ca
	Roberta Bondar Place 70 Foster Drive, Suite 500 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario P6A 6V3 General Inquiries (705) 945-6550 Research & Development Inquiry (647) 329-1395 or Steven.Lintlop@Ontario.ca

Home / Past & Present Research Partners

Home / CFS & Partner Publications

BIOLOGY

Wendy Lalonde and Jonathan S. Millman, Case study: Loss of Kastle-Meyer test specificity on jeans, Science & Justice (2019) Volume 59 pp. 359–361.

Gerry Alderson, Hanna Gurevitch, Tania Casimiro, Barb Reid and Jonathan Millman, Inferring the presence of spermatozoa in forensic samples based on male DNA fractionation following differential extraction, Forensic Science International: Genetics (2018) Volume 36 pp. 225–232.

Jo-Anne Bright, Rebecca Richards, Maarten Kruijver, Hannah Kelly, Catherine McGovern, Alan Magee, Andrew McWhorter, Anne Ciecko, and Brian Peck, et.al., Internal validation of STRmix™ – A multi laboratory response to PCAST, Forensic Science International: Genetics (2018) Volume 34, pp. 11–24.

Renata Dziak, Amy Peneder, Alicia Buetter, and Cecilia Hageman, Trace DNA Sampling Success from Evidence Items Commonly Encountered in Forensic Casework, Journal of Forensic Sciences, (2018) Volume 63, Issue 3, pp. 835-841

Soulbee Jin, Maretta Chase, Margaret Henry, Gerry Alderson, James M. Morrow, Sobia Malik, David Ballard, Joel McGrory, Neil Fernandopulle, Jonathan Millman and Jack Laird, Implementing a biogeographic ancestry inference service for forensic casework, Electrophoresis (2018) Volume 39, Issue 21, Part III, pp. 2757-2765.

James Sloots, Wendy Lalonde, Barbara Reid and Jonathan Millman, Kastle–Meyer blood test reagents are deleterious to DNA, Forensic Science International (2017) Volume 281 pp. 141–146.

Brendan Keating, Aruna T. Bansal, Susan Walsh, Jonathan Millman, Jonathan Newman, Kenneth Kidd, Bruce Budowle, et.al., First all-in-one diagnostic tool for DNA intelligence: genome-wide inference of biogeographic ancestry, appearance, relatedness, and sex with the Identitas v1 Forensic Chip, International Journal of Legal Medicine (2013) Volume 127, pp. 559–572.

Melinda Matte, Linda Williams, Roger Frappier and Jonathan Newman, Prevalence and persistence of foreign DNA beneath fingernails, Forensic Science International: Genetics (2012) Volume 6, pp. 236–243.

Nima Behrooz, Lee Hulse-Smith, Sanjeev Chandra, An Evaluation of the Underlying Mechanisms of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Error, Journal of Forensic Sciences (2011) Volume 56 Issue 5, pp. 1136-42.

Renata Dziak, Linda Parker, Vanessa Collins and Sarah Johnston, Providing Evidence Based Opinions On Time Since Intercourse (TSI) Based On Body Fluid Testing Results Of Internal Samples, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal (2011) Volume 44, Issue 2, pp. 59-69.

CHEMISTRY

Alex Heydon, David Ruddell, Andrew Wolf and Hendrik Dorn, Elemental heterogeneity observations in float glass samples via LA-ICP-MS thickness profiling, Forensic Chemistry (2018) Volume 11, pp. 103–107.

Elspeth Lindsay, Madlen Margau, Gerri-Lynn Vardy, Investigative Hit & Run: A Case Study, Identification Canada (2016) Volume 39, No. 1 pp. 9-15.

Hendrik Dorn, David E. Ruddell, Alex Heydon & Brenda D. Burton, Discrimination of float glass by LA-ICP-MS: assessment of exclusion criteria using casework samples, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal, (2015) Volume 48, No. 2, pp. 85-96.

Hendrik Dorn, David Ruddell, Alex Heydon, Andrei Stefanescu, Aleksandra Stryjnik and Brenda D. Burton, Technical Note: Unusual Variation of Thickness Within a Pane of Annealed Float Glass, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal (2013) Vol. 46. No. 3, pp. 166-169.

Eamonn McGee, Scott MacDonald, Graham A. McGibbon and Arvin Moser, An Evaluation of Standardized Software for Processing GC/MS Data from Different Vendors' Instruments in a Forensic Laboratory, Journal of Forensic Sciences (2013) Volume58, Issue 3, pp. 764-766.

Robert V. Gerard, Elspeth Lindsay, Michael J. McVicar, Dale Randall, E. and Agata Gapinska, Observations of Gunshot Residue Associated with Police Officers, Their Equipment, and Their Vehicles, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal, (2012) Volume 45, Issue 2, pp. 57-63.

Robert V. Gerard, Elspeth Lindsay, Michael J. McVicar, Dale Randall and Naomi Janson, A survey of primer residues produced by contemporary powder-actuated tool rounds and their relation to gunshot residue, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal, (2011) Volume 44, Issue 3, pp. 81-88.

Robert V. Gerard, Michael J. McVicar, Elspeth Lindsay, Dale Randall, Erin Harvey, The long-range deposition of gunshot residue and the mechanism of its transportation, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal, (2011) Volume 44, Issue 3, pp. 97-104.

Elspeth Lindsay, Michael J. McVicar, Robert V. Gerard, Dale Randall, Observations of GSR on the hands of employees at firearms manufacturing facilities, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal, (2011) Volume 44, Issue 3, pp. 105-109.

Elspeth Lindsay, Michael J. McVicar, Robert V. Gerard, Dale Randall and Jenny Pearson, Passive exposure and persistence of gunshot residue (GSR) on bystanders to a shooting: Comparison of shooter and bystander exposure to GSR, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal, (2011) Volume 44, Issue 3, pp. 89-96.

Madlen Margau, Gerri-Lynn Vardy, Elspeth Lindsay and Linda Morrison, The Presence of Graphite in the Primer Surfacer Used on Saturn Vehicles Between 1992 and 2006, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal, (2011) Volume 44, No. 4, pp. 121-129.

Johanne Almer, Eleanor McAnsh and Barbara Doupe, Forensic Fibre Analysis by UV-Visible Microspectrophotometry, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal (2010) Volume 43, Issue 1, pp. 16-30.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES (DOCUMENTS & FIREARMS)

Wayne Arendse and John Mustard, Reporting Identifications: An Update to Report Conclusions Adopted at the Centre of Forensic Sciences, The Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners Journal (2012) Volume 44, Number 3 (Summer), pp. 262-264.

Garry R. Lawrence and Holly Lee, The Effect of Hand Grip Angle on the Measurement of Trigger Pull Forces, The Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners Journal (2011) Volume 43, Number 2 (Spring), pp. 154-161.

TOXICOLOGY

Douglas J. Beirness , Kai Wen Gu , Nicholas J. Lowe , Karen L. Woodall, Nathalie A. Desrosiers , Brent Cahill , Amy J. Porath & Amy Peaire, Cannabis, alcohol and other drug findings in fatally injured drivers in Ontario, Traffic Injury Prevention, (2020) Volume 22, Issue 1, pp. 1-6.

Patricia A.M. Solbeck, Victoria Snowdon, Ashwyn. Rajagopalan and Reuven Jhirad, Suicide by Fatal Pentobarbital Intoxication in Ontario, Canada, from 2012 to 2015. Journal of Forensic Sciences (2019) Volume 64, Issue 1, pp. 309-313.

McKenney A. Hackett, Laura Gorczynski and Teri L. Martin, The effect of non-alcoholic food and beverage consumption on preliminary breath alcohol testing by the Dräger Alcotest 6810 and Alco-Sensor FST Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal (2017) Volume 50, Issue 3, pp. 131-145.

James W. Rajotte, Jean-Paul F.P. Palmentier and H. Rachelle Wallage, Drug recognition evaluation and chemical confirmation of a 25C-NBOMe-impaired driver. Journal of Forensic Science (2017) Volume 62, Issue 5, pp. 1410-1413.

H. Rachelle Wallage and Inger M. Bugyra, "Interferent Detect" on the Intoxilyzer® 8000C in an individual with an elevated blood acetone concentration due to ketoacidosis. Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal (2017) Volume 50, Issue 4, pp. 157-163.

Jean-Paul F.P. Palmentier and H. Rachelle Wallage, Top 80 over 80: incidence and characteristics of the 80 highest blood alcohol concentrations obtained in suspected impaired drivers in Ontario. Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal (2015) Volume 48, Issue 3, pp. 113-121.

Teri L. Martin, Patricia A.M. Solbeck, Daryl J. Mayers, Robert M. Langille, Yvona Buczek, Marc R. Pelletier, A review of alcohol-impaired driving: The role of blood alcohol concentration and complexity of the driving task, Journal of Forensic Sciences (2013) Volume 58, Issue 5, pp. 1238-50

Teri L. Martin, An evaluation of the Intoxilyzer® 8000C evidential breath alcohol analyzer, Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal (2011) Volume 44, Issue 1, pp. 22-30.

SUPPORT SERVICES (CFS-WIDE)