One of the most important tasks in forensic anthropology is the construction of the biological profile, classically defined as a set of four basic biological descriptors: biological sex, age-at-death, ancestry, and stature. Yet, our empirical and technological abilities in reconstructing the life experiences and health from skeletal remains far exceed these four parameters and forensic anthropology could benefit from further descriptors in the search for an identity. In this paper, we propose the inclusion of two other investigations to forensic anthropology practice to implement the already known biological profile: the interpretation of bone disease and lesions, and forensic toxicology on unconventional biological matrices. These analyses can provide information regarding health, habits, and disease burden, and by implementing them in our practice of forensic anthropology, they have the potential to improve the biological profile. We also propose a new term that can include not only the classical biological profile but also further descriptors, namely, the "biocultural profile".

Towards an integrative approach to the biological profile / L. Biehler-Gomez, G. Giordano, F. Sardanelli, D. Di Candia, C. Cattaneo. - In: LEGAL MEDICINE. - ISSN 1344-6223. - 71:(2024 Nov), pp. 102499.1-102499.5. [Epub ahead of print] [10.1016/j.legalmed.2024.102499]

Towards an integrative approach to the biological profile

L. Biehler-Gomez
Co-primo
;
G. Giordano
Co-primo
;
F. Sardanelli;D. Di Candia
Penultimo
;
C. Cattaneo
Ultimo
2024

Abstract

One of the most important tasks in forensic anthropology is the construction of the biological profile, classically defined as a set of four basic biological descriptors: biological sex, age-at-death, ancestry, and stature. Yet, our empirical and technological abilities in reconstructing the life experiences and health from skeletal remains far exceed these four parameters and forensic anthropology could benefit from further descriptors in the search for an identity. In this paper, we propose the inclusion of two other investigations to forensic anthropology practice to implement the already known biological profile: the interpretation of bone disease and lesions, and forensic toxicology on unconventional biological matrices. These analyses can provide information regarding health, habits, and disease burden, and by implementing them in our practice of forensic anthropology, they have the potential to improve the biological profile. We also propose a new term that can include not only the classical biological profile but also further descriptors, namely, the "biocultural profile".
Biological profile; Bone disease; Forensic anthropology; Toxicology
Settore BIOS-03/B - Antropologia
Settore MEDS-25/A - Medicina legale
Settore MEDS-02/C - Storia della medicina
nov-2024
22-lug-2024
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1097190
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