Dr. Vania Pereira

Biography

Vania Alves E Silva Pereira is an Associate Professor in the Section of Forensic Genetics at the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen. She has been actively involved in the Population and Forensic Genetics field since 2006, holding a BSc in Biology, MSc in Forensic Genetics, and a PhD with an emphasis on Population Forensic Genetics. Between 2013 and mid-2015, she worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the same department. Pereira's primary research focuses on understanding the factors that shape genetic diversity patterns in human populations and applying knowledge from population genetics to forensic casework situations. Her studies involve the analysis of genetic markers across various chromosomes and are transitioning from traditional capillary electrophoresis methods to more advanced massively parallel sequencing technologies. Current projects also include developing methodologies for genetic profiling from low DNA template samples and exploring forensic age estimation using DNA methylation. Pereira is co-coordinating a global initiative aimed at establishing guidelines for the use of mtDNA in casework and has published extensively in her areas of expertise, contributing significantly to the field of Forensic Genetics.

Research Interests

Experience