DNA lab will create jobs and help solve crime
Jessica Rapp
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: News
Truman students and faculty soon might have the facilities to take a stab at crime.
Kirksville is set to be the location of a DNA lab, which would create opportunities for internships and jobs in the community, said Phil Tate, director of job creation for Kirksville Regional Economic Development, Inc. The forensic laboratory would perform DNA testing for criminal identification and take on contracts from all over the nation, he said.
The company, whose name remains undisclosed for the moment, also has a smaller location in Southern California. The site for the company still is being decided, Tate said. He said the lab would require about 164 employees during a five-year period, including scientists with degrees in chemistry and biology.
Tate said the company will try to hire as many people from the Kirksville community as it can, as well as keep University graduates in Kirksville as employees of the lab.
"I know that Truman State is working on the possibility of adding a forensic minor to their biology and chemistry programs," Tate said. "There is also collaboration in progress where, hopefully, we can have an intern program between the company and Truman State."
The city of Kirksville will meet with the state May 20 for further discussion, even though neither the University, the city nor the company has finalized any plans. Tate said he hopes to make an official announcement about the company shortly after this.
Brent Buckner, professor of biology, said faculty from the chemistry, biology and justice system departments have mapped out a forensics minor that currently is going through review before finalization.
A forensics minor will teach students what they need to know to perform DNA testing for crime settings. DNA testing is required to go in a database in some states for all criminals, and it already has served as legal proof for either exonerating or convicting criminals, said Marty Jayne, associate professor of justice systems and director of Northeast Area Criminalistics Laboratory.
Kirksville is set to be the location of a DNA lab, which would create opportunities for internships and jobs in the community, said Phil Tate, director of job creation for Kirksville Regional Economic Development, Inc. The forensic laboratory would perform DNA testing for criminal identification and take on contracts from all over the nation, he said.
The company, whose name remains undisclosed for the moment, also has a smaller location in Southern California. The site for the company still is being decided, Tate said. He said the lab would require about 164 employees during a five-year period, including scientists with degrees in chemistry and biology.
Tate said the company will try to hire as many people from the Kirksville community as it can, as well as keep University graduates in Kirksville as employees of the lab.
"I know that Truman State is working on the possibility of adding a forensic minor to their biology and chemistry programs," Tate said. "There is also collaboration in progress where, hopefully, we can have an intern program between the company and Truman State."
The city of Kirksville will meet with the state May 20 for further discussion, even though neither the University, the city nor the company has finalized any plans. Tate said he hopes to make an official announcement about the company shortly after this.
Brent Buckner, professor of biology, said faculty from the chemistry, biology and justice system departments have mapped out a forensics minor that currently is going through review before finalization.
A forensics minor will teach students what they need to know to perform DNA testing for crime settings. DNA testing is required to go in a database in some states for all criminals, and it already has served as legal proof for either exonerating or convicting criminals, said Marty Jayne, associate professor of justice systems and director of Northeast Area Criminalistics Laboratory.
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