Rate My Professor Julie Murakami

Julie A. Murakami is a forensic biologist at the Forensic Biology Laboratory, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, where she holds the position of Team Leader for Court Reporting in Forensic Biology Services. Her research centers on the recovery and detection of biological evidence, particularly in challenging conditions such as washed fabrics and aquatic environments. She has collaborated extensively with researchers from Murdoch University's School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, contributing to advancements in forensic science techniques applicable to criminal investigations.

Murakami co-authored the 2018 publication 'A pilot study: The effects of repeat washing and fabric type on the detection of seminal fluid and spermatozoa' in Forensic Science International. This study investigated the persistence of seminal fluid and spermatozoa on fabrics including cotton, nylon, and terry towel after up to six wash cycles at 40°C, demonstrating that spermatozoa remained detectable on cotton and terry towel fabrics even after multiple washes, emphasizing the importance of thorough examination of laundry-recovered items in sexual assault cases. Also in 2018, she contributed to 'The evaluation and validation of Phadebas paper as a presumptive test for saliva' in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, which validated the use of Phadebas paper for rapid, sensitive saliva detection on items like cigarette butts and envelopes, with high specificity and suitability for casework. In 2020, her work appeared in 'The persistence of semen on cotton fabric in various water environments' in the Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, exploring how submersion in fresh, saline, and chlorinated water affects semen detection over time, finding that acid phosphatase activity and spermatozoa persisted longer in fresh water than in saline or chlorinated conditions. In 2023, Murakami received the Best Poster award in the Management and Quality Assurance category at the International Association of Forensic Sciences conference in Sydney for her department's efforts to improve turnaround times for reporting in volume crime cases such as burglaries and motor vehicle thefts.