Wells, Jeffrey
- Associate Professor, Biological Sciences , College of Arts, Sciences & Education
Contact Info

Overview
overview
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Jeffrey Wells, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Dept of Biological Sciences.
Dr. Wells ' research concerns the development of new genotyping methods and statistical analyses for forensic biology and insect evolution. Current research projects include 1) novel protocols for human identity and paternity testing, 2) population genetics of forensically important insects, 3) biosystematics of the fly superfamily Oestroidea, and 3) statistical methods for estimating time of death. Most of our research concerns the biology and forensic science applications of carrion-feeding insects. Some of these species may have evolved quite rapidly in response to human modification of the environment, and we are investigating this with a combination of molecular systematics and evo-devo approaches. The population genetic structure of these insects is little known, so we conduct population genetic surveys aimed at several questions. The chief forensic science utility of carrion insects is in estimating time of death. We develop statistical methods for placing a probability on a time-since-death estimate using insects alone or in combination with other types of postmortem decay data.
Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago.
M.S. Washington State University.
B.A. University of Washington.
research interests
- genotyping methods, statistical analyses, forensic biology, insect evolution, population genetics, biosystematics
Scholarly & Creative Works
selected publications
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Article
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2019A Forensic Entomological Analysis Can Yield an Estimate of Postmortem Interval, and Not Just a Minimum Postmortem Interval: An Explanation and Illustration Using a Case. JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES. 64.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13912 Web of Science: 000460187200038
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2017A Statistical Method to Construct Confidence Sets on Carrion Insect Age from Development Stage. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICS. 22:161-171.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s13253-017-0280-y Web of Science: 000400275800003
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2017Inverse prediction for heteroscedastic response using mixed models software. COMMUNICATIONS IN STATISTICS-SIMULATION AND COMPUTATION. 46:4490-4498.Full Text via DOI: 10.1080/03610918.2015.1118508 Web of Science: 000405864600021
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2017Isolation of the Male-Specific Transformer Exon as a Method for Immature Specimen Sex Identification in Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 54:496-500.
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2016Commonly Used Intercarcass Distances Appear to Be Sufficient to Ensure Independence of Carrion Insect Succession Pattern. ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. 109:72-80.Full Text via DOI: 10.1093/aesa/sav102 Web of Science: 000371679400009
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2016Inverse prediction for multivariate mixed models with standard software. STATISTICAL PAPERS. 57:929-938.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00362-016-0815-2 Web of Science: 000387849900005
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2016The forensically important blow fly, Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is more likely to walk than fly to carrion at low light levels. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL. 266:245-249.
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2015A 454 sequencing approach to dipteran mitochondrial genome researchFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2014.10.014
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2015An evaluation of sampling methods used to produce insect growth models for postmortem interval estimation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE. 129:405-410.
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2015Body Size, Rather Than Male Eye Allometry, Explains Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Activity in Low Light. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE. 15.
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2014Evaluating the utility of hexapod species for calculating a confidence interval about a succession based postmortem interval estimate. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL. 241:91-95.
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2014Population genetic structure of an invasive forensically important insect. ELECTROPHORESIS. 35:3193-3200.
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2014Verification of AFLP kinship methods of entomological evidence by sequencing. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL. 245:58-62.
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2013Estimating postmortem interval using RNA degradation and morphological changes in tooth pulp. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL. 229.
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2013First Report of Blaesoxipha plinthopyga (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) from a Human Corpse in the USA and a New State Geographic Record Based on Specimen Genotype. JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES. 58:1378-1380.
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2013Molecular Systematics of the Calliphoridae (Diptera: Oestroidea): Evidence From One Mitochondrial and Three Nuclear Genes. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 50:15-23.
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2011Molecular phylogeny of the blowfly genus ChrysomyaFull Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2010.00914.x
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2011Chrysomyinae (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is monophyletic: a molecular systematic analysis. SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY. 36:415-420.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3113.2011.00568.x Web of Science: 000292103200003
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2000p-Values for postmortem intervals from arthropod succession dataFull Text via DOI: 10.2307/1400631
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1995B-21 Method for calculating more precise estimates of maggot age (Calliphoridae)Full Text via DOI: 10.7601/mez.46.60_1
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1995Estimating maggot age from weight using inverse predictionFull Text via DOI: 10.1520/jfs13830j
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1985PUTTING THE URBAN IN URBAN-EDUCATION. PHI DELTA KAPPAN. 67.Web of Science: A1985ARY8900015
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Book
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2008Application of DNA-based methods in forensic entomology. Ed. 53.Full Text via DOI: 10.1146/annurev.ento.52.110405.091423
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Book Chapter
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Conference
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2004Mitochondrial DNA and STR Analyses of Maggot Crop Contents: Effect of Specimen Preservation Technique. 341-344.Full Text via DOI: 10.1520/jfs2003266
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2002Surface sterilization of a maggot using bleach does not interfere with mitochondrial DNA analysis of crop contents. 1055-1059.Full Text via DOI: 10.1520/jfs15532j
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2001DNA-based identification and molecular systematics of forensically important sarcophagidae (diptera). 1098-1102.Full Text via DOI: 10.1520/jfs15105j
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Letter
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2014Misstatements Concerning Forensic Entomology Practice in Recent Publications. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 489-490.
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2014REPLY: A Reply to Tarone et al., Campobasso and Introna, and Michaud et al.. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 907-907.
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2009Commentary on: Krane DE, Ford S, Gilder JR, Inman K, Jamieson A, Koppl R, Kornfield IL, Risinger DM, Rudin N, Taylor MS, Thompson WC. Sequential unmasking: A means of minimizing observer effects in forensic DNA interpretation. J Forensic Sci 2008;53(4):1006-7. 500.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2009.00988.x
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Meeting Abstract
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2015Comparison of eye morphology in Chrysomya megacephala males of differing sizes and the potential behavioral implications. INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY. E170-E170.Web of Science: 000352658400681
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Note
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2000Introduced Chrysomya (Diptera: Calliphoridae) flies in Northcentral Alabama. 91-92.Full Text via DOI: 10.18474/0749-8004-35.1.91
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Review
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2005Forensic genetic analysis of insect gut contents. 161-165.Full Text via DOI: 10.1097/01.paf.0000163832.05939.59
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Research
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Contact
full name
- Jeffrey Wells
Identifiers
ORCID iD
- https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9716-1999 (confirmed)
visualizations
Recent publications and grants in Scholars@FIU
publication subject areas
Citation index-derived subject areas the researcher has published in