Helle Smidt Mogensen

Helle Smidt Mogensen is a Researcher and Forensic Geneticist at the Section of Forensic Genetics within the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. Employed since 1997, she has served as Laboratory Manager for the STR laboratory since 1998, overseeing critical forensic DNA analysis operations.

Her academic credentials include:

• Master of Science (Cand. scient.) in Biochemistry with neuropharmacology specialization (1993)
• PhD thesis: "Quantitation of glutamate receptor subunit mRNAs in primary neuronal cultures: A comparative study of cultured mouse and rat cerebellar granule cells" (1997)

Mogensen's research centers on STR typing of biological traces, interpretation of complex STR results, and next-generation sequencing applications in forensic genetics. Her work bridges molecular biology, statistical modeling, and practical forensic investigation, significantly enhancing DNA evidence reliability in criminal cases through rigorous methodological development.

Analysis of her 2022-2026 publications reveals dominant trends in Y-STR paternal lineage identification, SNP genotyping via advanced statistical models, and optimization of DNA extraction from challenging samples like telogen hair. Her research consistently integrates computational approaches with laboratory validation, addressing critical gaps in forensic DNA interpretation for complex mixtures and low-template samples.

Mogensen actively participates in international collaborative research and forensic laboratory proficiency initiatives. Her professional development includes extensive leadership training (2010-2014), specialized forensic genetics coursework, and technical certifications in DNA analysis instrumentation and software systems.

As STR Laboratory Manager, she directs forensic casework analysis and reference sample processing while pioneering next-generation sequencing adoption. Her team maintains ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards and contributes to international forensic genetics guidelines through method validation studies and interlaboratory exercises.