Dr Noemi Procopio
Dr Noemi Procopio is the Principal Investigator of our "ForensOMICS" Team. Her main research involves the application of proteomics, metabolomics and DNA methylomics strategies to forensic science, particularly to skeletal remains, for post-mortem interval (PMI) and age-at-death estimation. Additionally, as part of her research she uses metabarcoding and NGS platforms for microbial and human DNA analyses, for human identification and PMI estimation. She is also investigating the application of proteomic analyses to archaeological human remains to investigate on lifestyles and health conditions of past populations.
In 2019, Dr Noemi Procopio was awarded with the prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship with the project titled "Forens-OMICS": a cross disciplinary implementation of omics sciences to in vivo and post-mortem ageing investigations for forensic applications". The aim of her project is to investigate how biomolecules, in particular proteins, metabolites and DNA, can survive and decay after death, to identify new biomarkers in human bones capable of revealing information on the chronological age and the post-mortem interval (PMI) of the individuals. Her role here is primarily focused on research.
She is currently supervising four PhD students in the fields of forensic proteomics and genomics, metabarcoding, cementochronology and next-generation sequencing technologies for forensic applications.
Dr Noemi Procopio graduated with First-Class Honours in Biotechnology at the University of Turin with a thesis titled: “Forensic Genetics: Analysis of Samples ‘Low Template DNA’”. Following her BSc, she obtained a 2-year MSc degree (First-Class Honours) in Molecular Biotechnology at the same University, with a thesis titled: “Body Fluids Mixture Analysis From Immunochromatographic Cards” under the supervision of Prof. Sarah Gino. She then joined the University of Manchester to start her PhD in Forensic Proteomics under the supervision of Dr. Michael Buckley. Her thesis is titled: “Proteome Taphonomy, Biomolecular Investigations into the Process of Decay for Forensic and Archaeological Applications”.
After completing her PhD, she joined Northumbria University as a lecturer in Forensic Science and she is now Senior Research Fellow in our Forensic Taphonomy. Recently she has been appointed as Visiting Professor at the University of Eastern Piedmont in Novara (Italy) and as Visiting Scholar at Texas State University - Dept. of Anthropology. She has been an invited speaker to many conferences and workshops in UK, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and Mexico. She has delivered oral presentations at national and international forensic meetings including the American Academy of Forensic Science (AAFS), the European Academy of Forensic Science, the Italian Academy of Forensic Science, and she has been session moderator at the AAFS. Dr Procopio is also a peer-reviewer for many international journals including Communications Biology, the Journal of Proteome Research and the Journal of Forensic Sciences and for several research councils both in the UK and abroad. She is also an Editorial Board Member of Springer Nature – Springer Series “Soil Forensics".
Noemi has contributed to documentaries for Sky Crime ("What The Killer Did Next"), has been interviewed from Scripps National Media to provide a video-story that was syndicated to over 50 U.S.A. TV stations and other media entities. She has provided an expert opinion for BBC News on the case of the Essex Lorry Deaths, has been interviewed by BBC Radio - Newcastle, has participated to the "Science for the People” podcast (U.S.A. based) and to outreach events including Soapbox of Science and the Great Exhibition Road Festival in London. Her work has attracted the attention of numerous journalists which featured her work on many websites, journals and press releases including the Washington Post, The Independent, AZoLifeSciences, Ars Technica, ACS Central Science, Science News and Science News Explores.
- PhD Biomolecular Sciences - Forensic Proteomics, University of Manchester, 2018
- MSc Molecular Biotechnology, University of Turin (Italy), 2014
- BSc (Hons) Biotechnology, University of Turin (Italy), 2012
- Best Oral Talk at the XI National Meeting of the Italian Group of Forensic Pathologists (GIPF) in Rome (Italy) in 2024
- Shortlisted for the 2024 UKRI FLF Impact Awards for her work on the treatment of human remains
- Best Oral Talk in Forensic Taphonomy and Entomology at the International Association of Forensic Science (IAFS) 2023 Conference, Sydney
- Listed in 2023 North Innovation Women by NHSA and N8 Research Partnership, 2023
- Excellence Award in Biology and Forensic Genetics at “Excellence, Investigation and Forensic Awards, 4th Edition, Milan (Italy), 2022
- Nomination at the "Student Led Teaching Awards”, Northumbria University Newcastle, 2019
- Forensic Proteomics
- DNA Methylation
- Forensic Genetics
- Forensic Metabolomics
- Metabarcoding
- Taphonomy and Decomposition
- Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and Scientific Program Chair for Pathology/Biology (2024/2025)
- UKRI Future Leaders Fellow
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Professional Member of the Charted Society of Forensic Science
- Member of the Italian Academy of Forensic Science
- Member of the International Society for Forensic Genetics
- Member of the Forensic Capability Network Research Group
- Member of the Royal Society of Biology
- Member of the International Affairs committee of the American Academy of Forensic Science
Use the links below to view their profiles:
- UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship Renewal. Forens-OMICS: Human Remains and Biological Fluids for Age-at-Death, Post-Mortem Interval and Time Since Deposition Estimation in Forensic Contexts. £708,005.59 (Role: PI). 2024-2027
- UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship: Forens-OMICS: a cross disciplinary implementation of omics sciences to in vivo and post-mortem ageing investigations for forensic and archaeological applications. £1,161,033.80 (Role: PI), 2019-2024
- Pump Priming Collaboration between UK and EU Partners by the British Academy: “Development of novel detection methods to combat wildlife crime and illegal wildlife trade”. £9,925.00 (Role: Co-I), 2021-2022
- Royal Society Research Grants 2019 Round 1: "Forensic proteomics on experimentally buried humans for post-mortem interval and age-at-death estimations”. £17,865.00 (Role: PI), 2019-2020
Email: Email:Dr Noemi Procopio
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