What do forensic biologists do?

Famous television series such as Bones, CSI, Castle, Law & Order and Dexter portray the various aspects of forensic biology  to ensure criminal justice.

Forensic biology can be described as the application of biology to solve criminal and civil crimes. There are several  sub-disciplines of forensic biology, such as:

• DNA Analysis – DNA  analysis has many biological applications, such as paternity testing, identifying unknown human remains, and connecting suspects or victims to evidence, another crime scene, or another person.
• Forensic anthropology:  sometimes the experience of anthropologists is needed to determine the race, sex, age, and possible illnesses of the deceased; an anthropologist determines all of this by looking for clues to skeletal structure.
• Forensic Dentistry:  Dentists may work in a crime lab to assist in the identification of degraded remains. Dentists analyze the recovered remains and compare them with official medical records.
• Forensic entomology : Forensic  entomology is the study of insects and other arthropods associated with cadavers. It is mainly used to estimate the time that has elapsed since death, among other things.
• Forensic Toxicology –  Chemistry and biochemistry concepts are applied to track evidence and determine whether the cause of death was from intoxication or drug use.

Studying forensic biology and specializing in any of these sub-disciplines is a very good idea, as  forensic biologists have a wide variety of career opportunities, develop useful skills, and enjoy exciting career paths.

But where is forensic biology studied in Spain? To study forensic science, the ideal is to do the degree in Criminology , which is responsible for studying crime, criminals and victims, and analyzes the crime or crime to try to avoid it and carry out preventive measures.

In Spain, there are many universities where you can study Criminology, such as several universities in Madrid, Catalonia (Barcelona and Girona), Valencian Community, Murcia, Andalusia (Granada, Malaga, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba), Castilla-La Mancha (Albacete), Castilla y León (Salamanca, Burgos, Valladolid), Galicia (A Coruña), Extremadura (Cáceres), La Rioja and the Basque Country (Guipúzcoa).

After graduation, forensic biologists can find work as a detective, biomedical scientist, toxicologist, crime scene investigator, college professor, paralegal, police officer, or attorney. What do forensic biologists do?