Cover
Volume 1, Issue 1 (2026) – 6 articles
Cover Picture: Sudden unexplained death (SUD) remains a major challenge in forensic practice, as conventional autopsy and systemic histological examination often fails to identify a definitive cause. Up to 10%-15% of cases are classified as SUD, underscoring the need for advanced technical innovations. This review aims to summarize recent advances in the forensic investigation of SUD, focusing on technical innovations, including molecular autopsy, multi-omics approaches, virtual autopsy techniques, and the application of artificial intelligence (AI). In brief, molecular autopsy has evolved from Sanger sequencing to next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, enabling high-throughput screening of genes associated with SUD due to channelopathies and cardiomyopathies, in which multiple pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in major causative genes such as SCN5A, KCNQ1, and KCNH2 have been identified. Multi-omics strategies including proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and spectroscopic techniques such as Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, provide functional insights into premortem biochemical states and can detect subtle molecular abnormalities that are valuable in identifying SUD. In addition, virtual autopsy techniques, including postmortem CT, CT angiography and MRI, offer non-invasive detection of subtle abnormalities and guide targeted sampling. By enhancing the interpretation of genetic variants, omics data, and imaging patterns, AI facilitates the identification of causes of death in SUDs. Despite rapid progress in this area, such techniques have not yet been integrated into routine postmortem diagnostic criteria in forensic medicine. Further research and standardization are needed to integrate these methods into forensic practice and disease prevention, thereby clarifying disease mechanisms and helping prevent additional fatalities in affected families.
