Daniele Podini

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Daniele Podini

Assistant Professor of Forensic Sciences


Contact:

Office Phone: (202) 242-5766
2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington DC 20007

Dr. Daniele Podini received his BS in Biology and MS in Molecular Biology from the University of Parma, Italy in the Biotechnological-Environmental Laboratory, Deptartment of Environmental Sciences. He later specialized in Applied Genetics at the University “La Sapienza” in Rome Italy, conducting research on the development of a diagnostic kit for the analysis of single nucleotide mutations of the CYP21 gene causing Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia in humans. Dr. Podini served as the Second in Command of the Biology Section of the Scientific Department of the Carabinieri (1998-2000), which is an Italian military Armed Force that implements law enforcement both on the Italian territory and abroad. Later he directed the Forensic Section, while also being responsible of the Molecular Diagnostic section, of Genoma, a private molecular biology laboratory in Rome (2000-2004). As technical leader of the diagnostic section of Genoma, Dr. Podini consulted with laboratories in Istanbul, Turkey, Reggio Calabria, Italy, and Tirana, Albania to aid in the establishment of Molecular Genetic Sections, by providing logistical and technological support and personnel training. His forensic experience ranges from processing crime scenes for biological specimens to processing evidence in the laboratory, and from DNA profiling to testifying in court as an expert witness.

Dr. Podini has been on the faculty of the Department of Forensic Sciences since 2004. His duties have included teaching Forensic Biology and Forensic Molecular Biology. His research background is mostly in applied molecular biology, both in the Forensic and in the human genetics field developing new strategies to increase the efficiency and significance of the information that can be obtained with the most recent molecular biology techniques. The goal of his research at GW is to develop a single test for the detection of several markers in the human genome, which would enable significant inference of the population of origin and the somatic traits of unknown individuals.


Forensic science; human genetics; applied molecular biology.