Forensic Scientist

Forensic Scientist

LIsa Black

Cape Coral, FL

Female, 49

I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.

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Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Best Rated

I am writing a paranormal suspense thriller novel and I need to know if you could figure out a person's identity in 2010 if all you had were the eyeballs and they were preserved since the 1970s.

Asked by Yvonne Schuchart over 8 years ago

My guess would be no. I would think the formaldehyde would destroy the DNA in the cells, though I don’t know for sure, and in any event they weren’t doing DNA in the 70’s so you’d have to find something of the person’s to compare the eyeball DNA. If you have something of the person’s retained from the 70’s, especially hair for example, perhaps there is mitochondrial DNA in some cell in the eyeballs that could still be obtained and compared to the mDNA from the hair.Otherwise I doubt ophthalmologists would take or save retinal scans back in the 70’s. Hope that helps. Best of luck!

Good afternoon Lisa!

I am currently taking a classes to earn my Bachelor's in Forensic Science, I just had some questions regarding your job now and how you went about getting your degree. Do you have an email were could communicate?

Thank you!

Asked by Cassidy Gould about 9 years ago

Sure, you can email me at Lisa-black@live.com.

A dead body washes up on a beach, and is investigated by forensic scientists. What evidence on the body would indicate sustained tiger attacks spanning a duration of three days + proof that the person died as a result of drowning and not the attacks?

Asked by Don Barry/Screenwriter over 8 years ago

At a guess, I would suggest: slash marks that are too wide for a knife, some partially healed, would indicate animal claws inflicted at different times, but none deep enough or near vital arteries to cause bleeding out. Then water in the lungs would indicate drowning, though that is not always a definite indicator. Drowning is an elimination diagnosis, as in you eliminate other possible causes.

Why is it important in Microbial Forensics to know how medication can change the microbiota of an individual ?

Asked by Sam almost 9 years ago

I'm sorry but I'm not versed in microbiology.

Is it possible to be a forensic scientist and a crime scene investigator? Like a job where find the evidence and you test it?

Asked by Rach C. over 8 years ago

Yes, to some extent. That’s what I’m doing now. It all depends on how much staff and equipment the agency has. For instance I’ll collect items and process them for fingerprints or do preliminary tests for blood or semen, but it’s unlikely that a DNA analyst would also be doing crime scene work.

Is it normal to find a body in odd and scary places like off a cliff or underwater? If so, is it an option to wait to get the body to lab to analyze or do you have to look at it no matter how bizarre the crime scene?

Asked by ubxh about 9 years ago

Most people die in their homes, so that's the 'normal' place to find them, but there are plenty of more unusual incidents as well. It's never scary, though, since when I go there I'm surrounded by cops, EMS workers, possibly firemen, Medical Examiner staff etc. I always observe the body where it is found, since that is my job. The Medical Examiner's or Coroner's office staff examines the body at their lab, so they can choose to come to the scene or not. If the death appears to be straightforward and natural, they will often not come to the scene and simply have the body transported to them.

Good afternoon!im just a bit curious.... at what college did you go to?

Asked by Anna almost 9 years ago

Cleveland State University. I have a BS in Biology.