So what’s the scoop on poop & why do so many researchers want our detection dogs to sniff for it? It’s data! Scat (the s…

So what’s the scoop on poop & why do so many researchers want our detection dogs to sniff for it? It’s data! Scat (the scientific term for poo) holds a plethora of information. Imagine going to the doctor & having your blood drawn for a health check. Scat provides much of the same information without ever having to see the species. Scat provides species ID, diet, hormones, reproductive status & other information! So while it may not be feasible to capture each animal in an environment, scat is another way to “capture” a species, through their DNA.
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But what happens AFTER we collect scat & how do researchers derive the information they need to get the larger picture?
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Enter geneticists! There is a whole other aspect to the detection dog method & it involves scientists who work at genetics lab analyzing the data our dogs detect.
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We are not experts in this field so we asked @kellythescientist if we could reshare, in part, her awesome post on DNA validation & lab work. ⤵️ (*Note: she’s not involved in our work BUT has amazing information about working in science).
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Pictured is #RogueFilson on the #OlympicCougarProject getting rewarded for locating a cougar scat! But scroll ➡️ to meet Franklin. Who’s Franklin, you ask?⤵️

Thank you for letting us share @kellythescientist 🙏🏽

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🧬 VALIDATION OF FORENSIC DNA ANALYSIS INSTRUMENTS 🧬
Validation is a very important part of forensic laboratory analysis. Through validation testing, you can confirm the reliability, robustness, and reproducibility of the scientific procedures you are using. This must be done to ensure the quality and the integrity of your results that you report.
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Everything in my DNA laboratory is brand new… the instrument pictured here: a 3500 genetic analyzer for capillary electrophoresis.
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This instrument is generally the last “wet work” step in DNA analysis before obtaining the DNA profiles. It does both separation of the DNA fragments by charge and size, as well as detection of the fluorescent-dye labeled fragments using a solid state laser.
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Side note: This instrument’s name is Franklin. The other significant piece of instrumentation in this lab is named Rosalind. Get it?