Mills, De Etta Kay
- Associate Professor, Biological Sciences , College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Overview
overview
- Dr. DeEtta (Dee) Mills is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and current Director of the Forensic DNA Profiling Facility (FDPF) within the International Forensic Research Institute (IFRI) at Florida International University. Dr. Mills is also the Graduate Program Director for the MS in Forensic Sciences, a FEPAC accredited program. Research areas of expertise are in DNA separation methods, non-human DNA profiling, development of novel methods for DNA profiling as well as expertise in the soil microbiome for soil provenance and forensic applications. Funding sources have included NSF (novel separation methods), NIJ (work force training grant), USDA-FS (equine DNA profiling), FBI (trace epithelial cell collection), National Geo-spatial Intelligence Agency (soil forensics), and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (fungal pathogen detection). Dr. Mills and her students have filed two patents (vacuum collection device for trace evidence; pathogen gold nanoparticle biosensor). Dr. Mills received her BS in Biology (Honors, Cell Biology) from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS in 1988. From 1989-1991, she worked at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama, as a senior research assistant that studied the evolutionary divergence of alpheids (snapping shrimp) across the Isthmus of Panama. She earned an MS in Biology in 1993 from Texas Christian University. From 1994-1996, she worked for the Radiation Biology Branch, FDA, Rockville, MD. Dr. Mills received her PhD from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA where she optimized several molecular tools to study the microbial community ecology and now applies those principles to forensic microbiology studies. She joined Florida International in 2001 and was awarded the prestigious NSF ADVANCE fellowship for women in 2004-2008. She was appointed as the Director of the Forensic DNA Profiling Facility (FDPF) in 2004. Dr. Mills has been awarded > $1.8M in grants/contracts that have spanned several different disciplines but are based in molecular microbiology and forensic biology. Dr. Mills has assisted both Miami-Dade and Broward crime laboratories with equine DNA typing in horse slaughtering cases that have taken place in the last few years in S Florida. The emphasis of her research and within the Facility is to continue to develop new and novel techniques for forensics. For example, with funding from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, she developed a novel approach for soil forensics where soil microbiota DNA profiles are able to provide, with high accuracy, provenance of a soil sample. Her students are now optimizing a multi-tagged, multi-taxon method for soil forensics/provenance using NexGen sequencing technology and bioinformatics classification algorithms.
research interests
- Functional metagenomics: Studying functional microbial guilds responsible for the biogeochemical cycling in soil provides a background upon which anthropogenic disturbances of these critical cycles can be better understood. Disease and dogs. Training detector canines to the scent of an invasive fungal plant pathogen will more rapidly identify infected trees and mitigate the spread of the disease. Non-human DNA typing: Unique scent profiles are generated by small molecules produced by the MHC metabolome. Understanding scent profiles and genetics relationships will increase understanding of behavioral mate selection in inbred populations.
Scholarly & Creative Works
selected publications
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Article
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2020Resolving human DNA mixtures with F-108 polymer and capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformational polymorphism analysisFull Text via DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202000194 Web of Science: 000544888700001
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2019Genetic structure of the Big Summit herd and neighboring wild horse populations inhabiting herd management areas of OregonFull Text via DOI: 10.3398/064.079.0109 Web of Science: 000471286000009
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2018Bioinformatics Approach to Assess the Biogeographical Patterns of Soil Communities: The Utility for Soil ProvenanceFull Text via DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13741 Web of Science: 000436939200005
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2018Agri-dogs: Using Canines for Earlier Detection of Laurel Wilt Disease Affecting Avocado Trees in South FloridaFull Text via DOI: 10.21273/HORTTECH03791-17 Web of Science: 000431517000002
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2018An Evaluation of Scent-discriminating Canines for Rapid Response to Agricultural DiseasesFull Text via DOI: 10.21273/HORTTECH03794-17 Web of Science: 000431517000001
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2018The Equine Volatilome: Volatile Organic Compounds as Discriminatory MarkersFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2017.05.013 Web of Science: 000425882100009
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2017Chemotyping the temporal volatile organic compounds of an invasive fungus to the United States, Raffaelea lauricolaFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2017.01.065 Web of Science: 000395956700009
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2017Can SLE classification rules be effectively applied to diagnose unclear SLE cases?Full Text via DOI: 10.1177/0961203316655212 Web of Science: 000392615400006
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2016Improved DNA profiles from aged horse feces using pressure cycling technologyFull Text via DOI: 10.1007/s12686-016-0572-5 Web of Science: 000387482700028
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2015Developmental validation of the ParaDNA (R) Intelligence System-A novel approach to DNA profilingFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2015.04.009 Web of Science: 000355918400023
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2015Microbiota shifts in the surface mucopolysaccharide layer of corals transferred from natural to aquaria settingsFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2014.12.009 Web of Science: 000350012500007
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2014F-108 polymer and capillary electrophoresis easily resolves complex environmental DNA mixtures and SNPsFull Text via DOI: 10.1002/elps.201400069 Web of Science: 000345272200025
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2014Fluorescent Random Amplified Microsatellites (F-RAMS) analysis of mushrooms as a forensic investigative toolFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2013.10.009 Web of Science: 000331834600019
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2009Genetic individualization of Cannabis sativa by a short tandem repeat multiplex systemFull Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00216-008-2500-3 Web of Science: 000261936700036
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2008Influence of irrigated agriculture on soil microbial diversityFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.03.012 Web of Science: 000259414100016
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2007Black band disease microbial community variation on corals in three regions of the wider CaribbeanFull Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00248-007-9234-1 Web of Science: 000250380000014
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2007Assessing microbial community diversity using amplicon length heterogeneity polymerase chain reactionFull Text via DOI: 10.2136/sssaj2006.0147 Web of Science: 000244980700038
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2006Culture and identification of Desulfovibrio spp. from corals infected by black band disease on Dominican and Florida Keys reefsFull Text via DOI: 10.3354/dao069119 Web of Science: 000238280300014
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1999Lack of consensus among experts on the choice of UV therapy for psoriasisFull Text via DOI: 10.1001/archderm.135.10.1187 Web of Science: 000083036400004
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1993DIVERGENCE IN PROTEINS, MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA, AND REPRODUCTIVE COMPATIBILITY ACROSS THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMAFull Text via DOI: 10.1126/science.8503007 Web of Science: A1993LG17600023
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Book Chapter
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2020Education and training in microbial forensics. 473-495.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-815379-6.00032-5 Web of Science: 000664723900034
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2015Methanogens within the Sawgrass Communities of the Everglades and Biscayne Bay Watersheds. 386-397.Full Text via DOI: 10.1201/b18253-20
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2015Methanogens within the sawgrass communities of the everglades and biscayne bay watersheds. 386-397.Full Text via DOI: 10.1201/b18253
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2013High Polyacrylamide Application Rates Do Not Affect Eubacterial Structural DiversityFull Text via DOI: 10.1007/s11270-012-1382-3 Web of Science: 000313012500024
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Conference
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2007Symposium: Molecular-based approaches to soil microbiology. 561-561.Full Text via DOI: 10.2136/sssaj2006.MBASM Web of Science: 000244980700036
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Other Scholarly Work
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2016Improved DNA profiles from aged horse feces using pressure cycling technology (vol 8, pg 487, 2016). 497-497.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s12686-016-0579-y Web of Science: 000387482700029
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1999Molecular monitoring of microbial populations during bioremediation of contaminated soils. 143-148.Web of Science: 000082416400023
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Review
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2021Past, Present, and Future of DNA Typing for Analyzing Human and Non-Human Forensic SamplesFull Text via DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.646130 Web of Science: 000636669400001
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2019An interdisciplinary review of the thanatomicrobiome in human decomposition. 75-83.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s12024-018-0061-0 Web of Science: 000458241400010
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Works By Students
chaired theses and dissertations
advised honors theses
- Mills, Kevin A. Fundora and DeEtta K., Evaluating triclosan resistance and impact on community structure in the human skin microbiome 2017
- Mills, Kevin M. Casin and DeEtta, Enhanced Growth of Tetracycline-susceptible Soil Bacteria Treated with Iron and Oxytetracycline 2014
- Diaz, Aisleen, Diversity of Vancomycin Genes in Sub-tropical Soils 2014
- Garcia, Ruslan, Effects of Endothelin 3 on the Tumor-Angiogenic Response in a Novel Melanoma Mouse Model 2013
- Correa, Gabriel Jose, Aspects Allogenic Memory in the Gorgonian Coral Swiftia Exserta 2009
- Chirino, Leilani M., Determination of Arsenic Species in Water and Grape-Based Beverages 2009
- Prado, Jose R. Morillo, Expression of the Myod and T-Box Families of Transcription Factors in the Developing Purkinje Fiber 2005
Research
principal investigator on
- Florida International University MARC U*STAR Program awarded by General Medical Sciences 2019 - 2024
- Electrochemical Aptamer-Based Sensor for Rapid Opioid Detection in Seized Substances awarded by National Institute of Justice 2020 - 2022
- I-Corps: Venturi Vacuum Device (VVD) for Biological and Particulate Sample Collection awarded by National Science Foundation 2019 - 2022
- Non-destructive, enhanced collection and recovery form difficult forensic samples, improving the "front end" process of DNA typing awarded by National Institute of Justice 2018 - 2021
- Ecogenomics: A four taxa metagenomic approach to evaluate the Everglades soil microbiome and the impact of salinity on community structure and biogeochemical cycles awarded by Sigma Xi 2019 - 2020
- FIU MARC U*STAR Program awarded by General Medical Sciences 2014 - 2019
- Disease, Dogs and Drones: Early detection of the laurel wilt pathogen awarded by U.S. Department of Agriculture 2014 - 2016
- Comparison of Two Novel Polymers using Capillary Electrophoresis for Bioseparations of Complex DNA Mixtures awarded by Sigma Xi 2013 - 2014
- Development of PSM-Forensic Sciences awarded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation 2011 - 2013
- The Development of a Novel Method of Cell Extraction using Pressure Cycling Technology for Samples Collected with the STU-100 with Respect to its Usefulness for a Low Copy Template DNA Samples awarded by Federal Bureau of Investigation 2011 - 2012
- Collaborative Research: New medium for DNA separation of microbial communities awarded by National Science Foundation 2009 - 2012
- Microbial Metagenome Profiling Using Multi-Taxa DNA Profiling. Bioinfomatics and New Separation Technicques to Discriminate Soil Speciments awarded by National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency 2009 - 2011
- Delivery of Academic Workshops in Advanced DNA typing analyses and population statistics. awarded by National Institute of Justice 2008 - 2010
co-principal investigator on
- FIU I-Corps Teams Funding awarded by National Science Foundation 2016
- EAGER: Use of ecogenomics and metabolomics to investigate the evolution of pathogenicity awarded by National Science Foundation 2012 - 2015
- Epithelial Cell Presence Determination in Human Scent Evidence Collection awarded by Federal Bureau of Investigation 2009 - 2011
subproject principal investigator on
Contact
full name
- De Etta kay Mills
- De Etta Kay Mills
Identifiers
ORCID iD
- https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9977-7834 (confirmed)
visualizations
publication subject areas
- Agriculture
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Biodiversity & Conservation
- Chemistry
- Environmental Sciences & Ecology
- Fisheries
- Genetics & Heredity
- Legal Medicine
- Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics
- Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
- Microbiology
- Pathology
- Plant Sciences
- Rheumatology
- Veterinary Sciences
- Water Resources
- Zoology