Arpad Vass

Infobox Person
name = Arpad A. Vass


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known_for = Forensic chemistry
education = Ph.D.
alma_mater = University of Tennessee
occupation = Forensic anthropologist
nationality =
footnotes = cite mailing list |url=http://www.discoveret.org/pipermail/fornlist/2003-April/000057.html |title=Lunch/lecture by Arpad Vass |mailinglist=Fornlist |first=Robert |last=Costner |date=2003-04-10 |accessdate=2008-07-08]

Arpad A. Vass, Ph.D., is a research chemist scientist and forensic anthropologist based at the Life Sciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is also adjunct associate professor of Forensic Anthropology, a program of the University of Tennessee's Law Enforcement Innovation Center located in Knoxville, Tennessee.cite journal |url=http://www.socgenmicrobiol.org.uk/pubs/micro_today/pdf/110108.pdf |title=Beyond the grave – understanding human decomposition |journal=Microbiology Today |publisher=Society for General Microbiology |location=Spencers Wood |first=Arpad A |last=Vass |pages=pp. 190-192 |volume=28 |date=November 2001 |issn=1464-0570 |accessdate=2008-07-08]

Education

In 1980, Vass obtained the Antarctic Exploration certification from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The following year, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Virginia Tech. In 1984, Vass earned a Medical Technology degree from Fairfax Hospital. He earned a Masters of Science degree in Administration of Justice (Forensic science) from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1989, and he obtained his Ph.D. from University of Tennessee.

Research

Decomposition odor analysis or DOA database is being established which will help to identify the over 400 body vapours which emanate from a decaying and decomposing human body. Such a database would enable the Federal Bureau of Investigation's search teams and cadaver dogs (Human Remains Detection dogs) to detect the location of remains of human beings.cite journal |url=http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/v37_1_04/article_18.shtml |title=Uncovering The Evidence |journal=Review |publisher=Oak Ridge National Laboratory |pages=p. 19 |volume=37 |issue=1 |year=2004 |issn=0048-1262 |accessdate=2008-07-13] The database is a part of the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility.cite web |url=http://www.ornl.gov/~webworks/cppr/y2001/pres/119106.pdf |title=Decompositional Odor Analysis Database - Phase 1 |work=ORNL.gov |author=Vass, Arpad A; "et al" |date=2003-11-14 |accessdate=2008-07-13] These dogs train in the same method as narcotic dogs can sniff out graves of buried human remains.

Vass has also put forward a proposal to search out human remains with the use of a fly on a leash.cite web |url=http://whyfiles.org/192forensic_anthro/3.html |title=Bodies and Bones: Where the bodies are |work=WhyFiles.org |first=Sarah |last=Goforth |date=2003-12-16 |accessdate=2008-07-13]

Vass is developing a forensic tool to help detect and uncover forensic cases. The Forensic Anthropology Facility, located behind the UT Medical Center in Knoxville, affords scientists with bodies which have been willed to the study of forensic science and research. The molecular signature of body decomposition odor may be detected by analytical equipment or electronic body sniffer which is being researched by Vass.cite journal |url=http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2003-01/new-science-murder-victim-search |title=New Science for the Murder Victim Search |journal=Popular Science |first=Jessica Snyder |last=Sachs |date=2003-01-07 |accessdate=2008-07-13]

elected publications

*cite journal |url=http://www.socgenmicrobiol.org.uk/pubs/micro_today/pdf/110108.pdf |title=Beyond the grave – understanding human decomposition |journal=Microbiology Today |publisher=Society for General Microbiology |location=Spencers Wood |first=Arpad A |last=Vass |pages=pp. 190-192 |volume=28 |date=November 2001 |issn=1464-0570
*cite journal |url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1402750 |title=Time since death determinations of human cadavers using soil solution |journal=Journal of Forensic Sciences |author=Vass, Arpad A; "et al" |pages=pp. 1236-1253 |volume=35 |issue=5 |date=September 1992 |issn=0022-1198
*cite journal |url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12051334 |title=Decomposition chemistry of human remains: a new methodology for determining the postmortem interval |journal=Journal of Forensic Sciences |author=Vass, Arpad A; "et al" |pages=pp. 542-553 |volume=47 |issue=3 |date=May 2002 |issn=0022-1198

ee also

*Forensic entomological decomposition

References

External links

* [http://www.businesstn.com/pub/1_3/cover/6512-1.html Top Ten Scientists]