Dr Judith Smith

Lecturer in Forensic Genetics, Course Leader (BSc (Hons) Forensic Biology)

School of Forensic and Investigative Sciences

01772 89 4257

jasmith@uclan.ac.uk

Qualifications

BSc (Hons), PhD

I have a diverse background in molecular genetics ranging from population genetics, gene mapping and developmental biology. I was an undergraduate at Warwick University reading Biological Sciences and obtained my PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1996. My PhD investigated the impact of parasitism and reproductive success on the population genetics of Soay sheep on the remote Scottish islands of St Kilda. I have since carried out post-doctoral research at the Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), the University of Glasgow and Lancaster University.  I was appointed to the School of Forensic and Investigative Sciences in January 2006.

Research

My current research interests are within the fields of molecular genetics and forensic entomology. In particular I am interested in the genetic control of insect development, in applying molecular techniques to address questions of the abundance and geographical distribution of forensically important flies in the UK (in particular blowfly (Calliphoridae) and fleshfly (Sarchophagidae) species), and the development of molecular markers for insect species identification.

Publications

Featured Publications

SMITH J.A. and Baker N. C. (2008) Molecular genetic identification of forensically important flies in the UK. Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 1. 620-622.

Redman E., Packard E., Grillo V., SMITH J.A., Jackson F., Gilleard J. S. (2008) Microsatellite analysis reveals marked genetic differentiation between Haemonchus contortus laboratory isolates and provides a rapid system of genetic fingerprinting, International Journal for Parasitology. 38(1): 111-122.

Burnham S., SMITH J.A., Lee A. J., Isaac R.E., Shirras A.D. (2005). The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene family of Anopheles gambiae. BMC Genomics. 6: 172.

SMITH J.A., McGarr P., Gilleard J.S. (2005). The Caenorhabditis elegans GATA transcription factor elt-1 is essential for differentiation and maintenance of hypodermal seam cells and for normal locomotion. Journal of Cell Science. 118(pt24): 5709-5719.

Couthier A., SMITH J.A., McGarr P., Craig B., Gilleard J.S. (2004). Ectopic expression of a Haemonchus contortus GATA transcription factor in Caenorhabditis elegans reveals conserved function in spite of extensive sequence divergence. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology. 133 (2): 241-253.

Marshall T.C., Coltman D.W., Pemberton J.M., Slate J., Spalton J.A., Guinness F.E., SMITH J.A., Pilkington J.G., Clutton-Brock T.H. (2002). Estimating the prevalence of inbreeding from pedigrees. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London (Series B). 269: 1533–1539.

SMITH J.A., Wilson K., Pilkington J. G., Pemberton J.M. (1999). Heritable variation in resistance to gastrointestinal nematodes in an unmanaged mammal population. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London (Series B). 266: 1283-1190.

Teaching

Module Contributions

I contribute to first year teaching of mendelian and molecular genetics and the third year module in Forensic Genetics. Together with the other members of the Forensic Genetics Team I contribute to our Masters level programme in DNA profiling as well as supervising post-graduate research projects.