Yvonne O’Dowd was awarded a BSc(Hons) and PhD (2001) in Biochemistry by University College Dublin. Following a period of Postdoctoral research with Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) in Paris she joined the DNA Section of Forensic Science Ireland in 2006. Yvonne has 19 years experience as a Forensic Science Practitioner working mainly on cases of Suspicious Death, Assault and Sexual Assault. Areas of competency include: crime scene examination, Blood Pattern Analysis, body fluid analysis, DNA STR analysis, microscopic hair examination, evaluative reporting and giving testimony in court. She is also involved in training and mentoring and was a member of the quality team. She has served as External Examiner in Third Level institutions and is currently a member of the ENFSI UNLOCK project.