Dr. Greg Dahlem
NKU - Biological Sciences
RESEARCH PROJECTS
My expertise is in the field of ENTOMOLOGY - the study of insects. My research mainly deals with flies associated with carrion, especially the Sarcophagidae (flesh flies). I serve as the faculty advisor for students interested in forensic aspects of biology.
BOOK AUTHORSHIP
Published in 2014, "The Science of Forensic Entomology" is a valuable new reference and textbook dealing with the many facets of the use of insects by the American justice system. I was fortunate to work as a coauther with David B. Rivers at Loyolla University to research, write, and publish this comprehensive work.
Rivers, D. B. and G. A. Dahlem. 2014. The Science of Forensic Entomology. West Sussex, U.K., J. Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 382 pp.
RECENT JOURNAL ARTICLES AND BOOK CHAPTERS
Wong, E. S., G. A. Dahlem, T. I. Stamper, and R. W. DeBry. 2015. Discordance between morphological species identification and mtDNA phylogeny in the flesh fly genus Ravinia (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). Invertebrate Systematics 29: 1-11.
DeBry, R. W., A. Timm, E. S. Wong, T. Stamper, C. Cookman, and G. A. Dahlem. 2013. DNA-based identification of forensically important Lucilia (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in the continental United States. Journal of Forensic Science 58(1): 73-78.
Stamper, T., G. A. Dahlem, C. Cookman and R. W. DeBry. 2013. Phylogenetic relationships of flesh flies in the subfamily Sarcophaginae based on three mtDNA fragments (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). Systematic Entomology 38: 35–44.
Pape, T. and Dahlem, G. A. 2010. Sarcophagidae (Flesh Flies) 111. In: A Manual of Central American Diptera. Volume 2. pp. 1313-1335 NRC Research Press
DeBry, R. W.; Timm, A. E.; Dahlem, G. A.; Stamper, T. 2010. mtDNA-based identification of Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) and Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in the continental United States. Forensic Science International 202: 102-109.
Dahlem, G. A. 2009. House fly (Musca domestica). pp. 469-470 In: Resh, V. H. & Carde, R. T. eds. Encyclopedia of Insects, 2nd Edition. 1168 pp. Elsevier.
ONGOING RESEARCH
I am currently working on the identification and evolution of several genera of flesh flies, both on a morphological level and molecular level of comparison.
I am part of the editorial team, with Dr. Thomas Pape and Dr. Daniel Whitmore, on the World of Flesh Flies website, including its associated World Bibliography of literature on the Sarcophagidae.
I am working with Dr. Ron DeBry and his team at the University of Cincinnati on the molecular identification and evolution of Sarcophagidae and Calliphoridae to better understand the relationships between and within genera and species.
I am using new digital microscopic photography techniques and a scanning electron microscope to document the various species of North American flesh flies.
I am always open to working with students on independent research dealing with entomological topics and aspects of forensic entomology.