Forensic pathologist Danielo Perez has extensive experience in performing autopsies for unnatural, unexplained, or unattended deaths in Austin, Texas, and surrounding counties. Before moving to Austin, Danielo Perez was an assistant medical examiner in Chicago.
Forensic pathology is just one of many career paths you can choose when you study forensic science. Forensic science is grounded in the fundamental concepts of other natural sciences.
When analyzing evidence, forensic scientists draw from physics, chemistry, biology, botany and many other specialties. Forensic science is an integral part of the criminal justice system that helps prove the existence of a crime, determine the perpetrator of a crime, and make connections to the crime.
To thoroughly analyze evidence and the multiple components of a crime scene, many specialists function as a multi-disciplinary team. Some of those specialists include:
- Forensic pathologists, who study the body and perform an autopsy to determine a cause of death. They also might visit the scene of death to gather relevant information.
- Forensic toxicologists, who study the adverse effects of drugs and chemicals on the biological systems. After determining if harmful substances were present, toxicologists can conclude if those substances contributed to the death.
- Forensic odontologists, who use dental records to identify human remains.
- Forensic psychiatrists and behavioral science professionals, who help to determine if a person accused of a crime is fit to stand trial. These professionals also might offer testimony and assess the ways mental illness contributed to criminal activity.
Other specialists who contribute to the field of forensic science include botanists, engineers, DNA analysts, anthropologists, optometrists, archeologists, entomologists, and geologists.
