Dr. Floor Claessens

Biography

Floor Anna Josephine Claessens is a PhD fellow at the University of Copenhagen's Section of Forensic Genetics. Her research focuses on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) applications in forensic genetics. She is currently working on a project titled MitoMetrics, which strategically incorporates mtDNA profile discrepancies into likelihood ratio calculations and validates mtDNA analysis of telogen hair samples through shotgun sequencing. Claessens highlights the critical importance of mtDNA in analyzing trace samples, especially when nuclear DNA is either degraded or present in low quantities. However, she also discusses the challenges related to interpretation and reporting of mtDNA, particularly in complex inclusion/exclusion scenarios and the reporting of heteroplasmy. With the emergence of massively parallel sequencing, there is a shift in standards for detecting and reporting mtDNA heteroplasmy, which requires further data analysis in forensic casework. Claessens has a Master's degree in Molecular Genetics from the University of Leicester and a Bachelor's degree in Forensic Science from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Her recent experiences also include research positions in genetics and epigenetics across reputable institutions.

Research Interests

Experience