Marco Scarpetta, Ph.D.
| DNA Analyst |  |
Education
Ph.D. (Biochemistry) University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 1992
M.Sc. (Biochemistry) University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 1989
B.S. (Biochemistry) Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA,
1986
Professional Positions Held
12/01-Present Laboratory Director, Orchid GeneScreen East Lansing (formerly
LifeCodes East Lansing)
-Paternity Case Review
-Expert Witness
-Client Services
-Train Associate Directors in above duties
6/98-12/01 Associate Laboratory Director, LifeCodes East Lansing (formerly
National Legal Laboratories, Inc.)
-Paternity Case Review
-Expert Witness
-Client Services
-Train Assistant Director in above duties
6/97-6/98 Assistant Laboratory Director, National Legal Laboratories,
Inc.
-Paternity Case Review
-Research and Development of New Methods
-Expert Witness
-Client Services
1/95-6/97 Senior Forensic Serologist, Detroit Police Crime Laboratory.
-Technical Manager of the DNA Unit
-Forensic casework and expert testimony
-Implementation of novel DNA typing techniques for use in casework and
subsequent training of laboratory personnel in these methods
-Peer review of casework reports
-Initiation of research projects and publication of results
-Preparation of purchase requisitions for equipment and supplies
-Maintaining chain of custody and integrity of evidence
-Preparation, review and administration of Quality Assurance/Quality Control
Program in preparation for ASCLD Accreditation
1/92-12/94 Postdoctoral Research Fellow for Dr. Michael Uhler. Dept. of
Biochemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Research project
involved the characterization of the isoforms of protein kinase inhibitor
(PKI), a small protein effector of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA).
PKI was expressed in tissue culture to examine its role in modulating
the activity of PKA in vivo. Also, the genomic structures and localization
of the two PKI isoforms were studied for future use in transgenic mice.
9/93 and 9/94 Teaching Assistant for Dr. Michael Uhler. Assisted in the
planning and instruction of experiments designed to characterize a novel
isoform of cGMP-dependent protein kinase, in a course entitled The Physician
Research Training Program. This course is designed to train physicians
interested in research careers in the scientific method.
1/90-1/92 Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. William Brusilow. Dept.
of Biochemistry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI.
Dissertation project studied the structure-function relationships of subunits
of the proton-translocating ATPase of E. coli, and later involved an analysis
of the energy coupling parameters of hybrid E. coli-B. megaterium ATPases.
6/88-12/89 Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. William Brusilow. Dept.
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
Thesis work delineated the organization and sequence of the genes of the
B. megaterium ATPase.
7/86-5/88 Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Maryland, College Park, MD. Taught lecture and lab sections of a senior
undergraduate biochemistry lab course and taught the recitation and lab
sections of introductory freshman chemistry courses.
8/85-5/86 Undergraduate Research Project in Dr. Nathan Aronson's laboratory,
Pennsylvania State University. Project involved the isolation and purification
of CMP-sialic acid synthase from rat liver.
Additional Training
Forensic Amplitype PM + HLA DQA1 PCR Amplification and Typing Workshop.
April 10-18, 1995; Perkin-Elmer Training Department, Foster City, CA.
New Methods Forensic PCR Amplification and Typing Workshop.
April 19-21, 1995; Perkin-Elmer Training Department, Foster City, CA.
DNA Typing With STRs Workshop.
May 22-23, 1995; Promega Corporation, Madison, WI.
Statistics and Population Genetics for Forensic Science.
June 16-18, 1996; Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University,
Raleigh, NC.
Additional Qualifications
-Court qualified expert witness in forensics and paternity
-Over 100,000 Paternity Tests reviewed
-Laboratory Assessor with the American Association of Blood Banks
-Certified to act as Laboratory Director in Paternity/Identity Testing
and DNA Testing in the State of New York
-Completed validation of D1S80 and various STR loci for casework (FBI
funded)
-Validation of the Hitachi FMBIO-100 (and FMBIO-2) Imaging System for
use in casework
-Validation of the QIAamp protocol in place of Chelex for genomic DNA
isolation
-Peer Review of over 200 Forensic DNA Analysis Reports
-Over 1000 forensic DNA tests performed
-Obtained National Institute of Justice funding for development of DNA
typing program (in conjunction with the Michigan State Police)
-Preparation and delivery of seminars to train Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys
and Evidence Technicians in DNA typing principles
-Community representative for the Michigan State University Office of
Radiation, Chemical and Biological Safety. Responsible for review of Research
Grant Proposals for environmental safety issues.
-Hands-on experience in: molecular cloning techniques, PCR, protein purification,
DNA sequencing, phage-mediated transduction, DNAse protection assays,
in situ hybridization, SSLP typing, Southern, Western and Northern blotting,
tissue culture techniques and general microbiological techniques.
Professional Associations
American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1992
American Association of Blood Banks, 1999-present
Awards
Graduate-Professional Scholarship, Wayne State University, 1990
Public Health Services Biological Sciences Research Training Grant, 1992
Professional Meetings Attended
TWGDAM Meeting
October 11, 1995; Scottsdale, AZ
Sixth International Symposium on Human Identification.
October 12-14, 1995; Scottsdale, AZ
Midwestern TWGDAM Meeting
January 18-19, 1996; Chicago, IL
Cambridge Healthtech Institute Third Annual DNA Forensics Conference
June 13-15, 1999; McLean, VA
American Association of Blood Banks 52nd Annual Meeting
November 4-6, 1999; San Francisco, CA
American Association of Blood Banks 53rd Annual Meeting
November 4-6, 2000; Washington, DC
12th International Symposium on Human Identification, Parentage Workshop
October 9, 2001 Biloxi, MS
American Association of Blood Banks Annual Meeting
October 25-26, Orlando, FL
Publications
Brusilow, W.S.A., Scarpetta, M.A., Hawthorne, C.A., and Clark, W.P. (1989)
Organization and Sequence of the Genes Coding for the Proton-Translocating
ATPase of Bacillus megaterium. J. Biol. Chem. 264, 1528-1533.
Scarpetta, M.A., Hawthorne, C.A., and Brusilow, W.S.A. (1991) Characterization
of Partially Uncoupled Hybrid Escherichia coli-Bacillus megaterium F1Fo
Proton-Translocating ATPases. J. Biol. Chem. 266, 18567-18572.
Scarpetta, M.A. and Uhler, M.D. (1993) Evidence for Two Additional Isoforms
of the Endogenous Protein Kinase Inhibitor of cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase
in Mouse. J. Biol. Chem. 268, 10927-10931.
Seasholtz, A.F., Gamm, D., Ballestero, R.P., Scarpetta, M.A. and Uhler,
M.D. (1995) Differential Expression of mRNAs for Protein Kinase Inhibitor
Isoforms in Mouse Brain. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 92, 1734-1738.
Scarpetta, M.A., Uhler, M.D. and Meisler, M.H. (1997) The mouse Prkacn2
gene encoding protein kinase A inhibitor 2 is located on proximal Chromosome
10. Mammalian Genome 7, 921.
Marco A. Scarpetta, Ph.D. (1996) Use of SYBR Green I Stain in Place of
Silver Stain for Detection of D1S80 AMP-FLPs on GeneAmp Detection Gels.
Resolutions 11, 1-2.
Greenspoon, S.A., Scarpetta, M.A., Drayton, M., and Turek, S.A. (1998)
QIAamp Spin Columns as a Method of DNA Isolation for Forensic Analysis.
J. Forensic Sci. 43 (5), 1024-1030.
S.A. Greenspoon, P. Lytle, S. Turek, J. Rolands, M. Scarpetta, and C.
Carr (2000) Validation of the PowerPlex 1.1™ Loci for Use in Forensic
Casework. J. Forensic Sci. 45 (3), 677-683.
Brusilow, W.S.A., Glagoleva, O., Scarpetta, M.A., Schemidt, R.A., and
Monticello, R.A. (2000) Optimized conditions for measuring respiration-driven
ATP synthesis by everted membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli. (Manuscript
submitted for publication)
Duncan, George T., Scarpetta, Marco A., Balamurugan, Kuppareddi, Budowle,
Bruce and Tracey, Martin L. (2001) Microvariation of Rare Alleles at the
Human D1S80 Locus. (Manuscript in preparation)
Presentations
Scarpetta, M.A. and Brusilow, W.S.A. (1989) Organization and Sequence
of the Genes Coding for the Proton-Translocating ATPase of Bacillus megaterium.
ASBMB/ASCB Joint Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Scarpetta, M.A., Hawthorne, C.A. and Brusilow, W.S.A. (1991) Partially
Uncoupled Phenotype in Hybrid Escherichia coli-Bacillus megaterium F1Fo
Proton-Translocating ATPases. Gordon Research Conference on Protons and
Membrane Reactions, Los Angeles, CA.
Scarpetta, M.A. and Brusilow, W.S.A. (1991) In vivo Hybrid ATPases: Semi-Uncoupled
Phenotype of Escherichia coli ATPase Mutants Complemented with ATPase
Genes from Bacillus megaterium. ASM 1991 Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX
Scarpetta, M.A., Olsen, S.R., Seasholtz, A.F. and Uhler, M.D. (1993) Cloning
and Expression of Inhibitor Proteins for cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase.
ASBMB Fall Symposium on Structure and Function of Protein Kinases and
Phosphatases, Keystone, CO.
Scarpetta, M.A. and Turek, S.A. (1995) Validation of the AmpliFLP D1S80
PCR Amplification Kit for Casework in the Detroit Police Crime Lab. Sixth
International Symposium on Human Identification, Scottsdale, AZ.
Scarpetta, M.A., Greenspoon, S.A., Drayton, M., and Turek, S.A. (1996)
QIAamp Spin Columns as a Method of DNA Isolation for Forensic Analysis.
Seventh International Symposium on Human Identification, Scottsdale, AZ.
S.A. Geenspoon, P. Lytle, S. Turek, J. Rolands, M. Scarpetta, and C. Carr
(1998) Validation of the PowerPlex ™ 1.1 Loci for Use in Forensic Casework.
Ninth International Symposium on Human Identification, Orlando, FL.
Scarpetta, M. (2000) Genetic Testing, Genetic Privacy (Invited speaker)
Michigan Family Support Council Annual Conference, Boyne City, MI.
Scarpetta, M. (2001) DNA Buccal Swabs (Invited Speaker) Prosecuting Attorneys
Coordinating Council Establishment of Support Conference, Thompsonville,
MI.
Scarpetta, M. (2001) High Throughput Paternity Testing: Challenges and
Issues (Invited Speaker) 12th International Symposium on Human Identification,
Parentage Workshop, Biloxi MS.
Scarpetta, M. (2002) Demystifying DNA Evidence (Invited speaker) Cooley
Law School, Lansing, MI.
Scarpetta, M. (2003) Forensic DNA Testing (Invited Speaker) Michigan Appellate
Assigned Counsel System, Lansing, MI. A series of three seminars to instruct
appellate and defense attorneys in the basics of forensic DNA testing,
report interpretation and related topics.
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