Sponsored Projects

National Institute of Justice

PI: Adolphi. 2016-DN-BX-K002. 01/01/17 – 12/31/18
Evaluation of the Routine Use of CT Scanning to Supplant or Supplement Autopsy in a High-Volume Medical Examiner's Office– $ 619,325. The goal of this project is to determine how daily use of post-mortem CT impacts the practice of medicolegal death investigation at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator from the standpoints of image interpretation, case management, and cost.

PI: Adolphi. 2016-DN-BX-0173. 01/01/17 – 12/31/19
Improving and Evaluating Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Investigation of Fatalities Involving Suspected Head Trauma – $ 714,891.
The goals of this project are to improve the radiological assessment of fatal trauma by 1) improving post-mortem CT reporting methods and 2) adding post-mortem MR, and to evaluate the impact of this improved imaging protocol on the reliability of injury detection in fatal trauma cases.

PI: Edgar. 2016-DN-BX-0144. 01/01/17 – 12/31/18
Facilitating Forensic Research in Multiple Fields Using a Unique Computed Tomography Dataset – $ 702,654.
The goal of this project is to create a user-friendly, large-scale data resource consisting of de-identified whole body CT image data and associated metadata that is freely accessible to academic researchers and will enable research in many fields, including forensic anthropology, pathology, and radiology.

RTI International Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (funded by NIJ) 07/01/16 – 09/30/16
1. (PI Hatch)
Development of Curriculum and Instructional Content for Workshop on Advanced Radiologic Imaging in Medicolegal Death Investigation - $49,013.
2. (PI Hatch)
Hosting 3-day Workshop on Advanced Radiologic Imaging in Medicolegal Death Investigation - $5,662.
3. (PI Gerrard)
Guidance Document on Current Best Practices for Implementing Advanced Radiological Imaging in Medicolegal Death Investigation - $11,848.
4. (PI Adolphi)
Webinar on Advanced Forensic Radiology: Introduction and Current Recommended Practices - $3,351;
5. (PI Adolphi)
Landscape Study Report on Acquiring and Implementing Post-mortem Computed Tomography in a Medical Examiner's Office - $11,453.
The goals of these projects are to educate and inform the forensic pathology community regarding the use of advanced radiological imaging methods in death investigation, and to facilitate the adoption of these technologies by medical examiners in the U.S.

Subaward PI: Adolphi. NIJ 2015-DN-BX-K018. 01/01/16 – 12/31/17 (PI: Thompson, University of Louisville)
Biomechanical Investigation of the Effect of Bone Disorders on Pediatric Femur Fracture Potential – $36,598.
The aim of the project is the development of a parametric finite element model enabling material and morphologic bone parameters to be adjusted to study changes in fracture potential due to factors including age, bone density, and the presence of bone fragility disorders. http://www.nij.gov/funding/awards/pages/award-detail.aspx?award=2015-DN-BX-K018

Subaward PI: Hatch. NIJ 2015-DN-BX-K009. 01/01/16 – 12/31/16 (PI: Stull, Idaho State University)
Development of Modern Subadult Standards: Improved Age and Sex Estimation in U.S. Forensic Practice – $94,960.
The aim of this project is to use thin-slice MSCT scans acquired from a large and diverse sample of modern subadults (ages birth to 25 years) to develop univariate and multivariate age and sex estimation techniques.
http://www.nij.gov/funding/awards/pages/award-detail.aspx?award=2012-DN-BX-K019

PI: Adolphi. NIJ 2012-DN-BX-K019. 01/01/13 – 06/30/16
Investigation of the Impact of Body Temperature and Post-Mortem Interval on Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Unfixed Tissue – $574,686.
The goal of this project is to determine how normal post-mortem changes, such as decomposition and changes in body temperature, affect the quality of post-mortem MRI. http://www.nij.gov/funding/awards/pages/award-detail.aspx?award=2012-DN-BX-K019

PI: Hatch. NIJ 2013-DN-BX-K004. 01/01/14 – 12/31/16
Investigation of Post-Mortem Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Detection of Intraneural Hemorrhage – $498,616.
The goal of this project is the development MR protocols, optimized and validated for detecting intraneural hemorrhage, for future application to the evaluation of the cervical spine in pediatric subjects with suspected shaken baby syndrome (SBS).
http://www.nij.gov/funding/awards/pages/award-detail.aspx?award=2013-DN-BX-K004

PI: Nolte. NIJ 2010-DN-BX-K205. 1/1/11 – 12/31/14
Utility of Postmortem X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) in Supplanting or Supplementing Medicolegal Autopsies –$895,832.
This study looks at 4 specific cohorts: decedents with blunt force injuries, firearm injuries, drug poisoning and childhood trauma. http://www.nij.gov/funding/awards/pages/award-detail.aspx?award=2012-DN-BX-K019