Paul Benjamin Ferrara (November 2, 1942 – May 30, 2011) was a scientist and administrator who pioneered the use of

DNA profiling DNA profiling (also called DNA fingerprinting and genetic fingerprinting) is the process of determining an individual's deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) characteristics. DNA analysis intended to identify a species, rather than an individual, is cal ...

in America.

Early life and education

Ferrara graduated from

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

and

State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

with doctorate degree in organic chemistry.

Career

In 1987 the private New York laboratory, Lifecodes, began assisting Dr. Ferrara in his efforts to establish a DNA laboratory for the state of Virginia. In 1988 Timothy Spencer, the "Southside Strangler", became first serial killer in the United States to be convicted on the basis of DNA evidence. Spencer committed three rapes and murders in Richmond Virginia, and one in Arlington, Virginia in the fall of 1987. Ferrara recognized the potential utility of the precedent that had been set in Spencer case, and immediately focused his political savvy on convincing the Virginia General Assembly to fund the creation of the first State DNA Database in the country. In 1989 under his leadership,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

became the first state laboratory capable of performing DNA fingerprinting. The FBI had started its limited DNA laboratory operations just four months earlier. In addition to his directorship of the Virginia Department of Forensic Science (VA-DFS), Dr. Ferrara was an honorary professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Through his passion for teaching and research, as well as his commitment to developing a nationally recognized Forensic Science educational program at VCU, the program officially became a department in 2005.

Later life and legacy

In the mid-2000s, Dr. Ferrara was diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer. Several years after the initial lung surgery, it was discovered that the cancer had spread. Dr. Ferrara died on May 30, 2011, of

brain cancer A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign (non-cance ...

at the age of 68.Founder of Virginia DNA database dies of cancer
/ref> Upon approval of Governor McDonnell, the DFS Central Laboratory building was renamed the Paul B. Ferrara Building, in honor of the late department director who died in May 2011. A ceremony and reception was held at the Central Laboratory on November 18, 2011, to unveil the signage displaying the new building name.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrara, Paul 1942 births 2011 deaths American forensic scientists Organic chemists People from Chesterfield County, Virginia Syracuse University alumni State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry alumni Deaths from brain cancer in Virginia Place of birth missing Scientists from Virginia Virginia Commonwealth University faculty