James Crill

James Crill is a Professor of Practice at Syracuse University's Forensic and National Security Sciences Institute (FNSSI) within the College of Arts & Sciences. He joined in spring 2020 after roles as a senior scientist at MRIGlobal and SRC, focusing on biological weapons detection and mobile forensic laboratories. His research employs high-throughput sequencing, PCR, and immuno-assays for biothreat characterization.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biology (in progress), Syracuse University
• B.S. in Biology (2007), Syracuse University

Research Focus: Dr. Crill specializes in microbial forensic methodologies with emphasis on bioinformatic pipeline development, metagenomic sample separation, and genotype-to-phenotype analysis for biodefense applications. His work bridges forensic science, industrial biotechnology, and national security.

Publication Trends: Recent articles demonstrate interdisciplinary focus, spanning veterinary genetics (poultry sex genotyping), industrial microbiology (Yarrowia lipolytica strain optimization), and microbial source attribution for forensic geolocation.

Grants & Projects:

• Principal Investigator for $1.2M NIH grant: 'A Novel Method for Improved Separation of Metagenomic Samples' (2021-2023)
• Co-PI on DoD-funded 'Strategic Triangulation' project analyzing forensic evidence in Asia (2020)
• Leading 'Transcriptomics And Optogenetics For Lipid Expression' research for Capra Biosciences (2025)

Academic Service: Serves on the ICCAE Research Committee, OSAC committee, and as FNSSI Co-Chair for Student Mentoring (2023-2024). Conducts technical reviews for AOAC International.