About Us

Our experienced staff at FIP Laboratory is dedicated to providing quality service to the criminal justice community and to the public in both laboratory and consultation services.

• Michael Sikirica, M.D.
  C.E.O. and Founder, Board Certified Forensic and Neuropathologist
  
  
• Allison Y. Eastman, Ph.D.
  Director and Senior Forensic Scientist
  

  Dr. Allison Eastman earned her B.S. in Biology from the State University of New York at Albany, and her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the Albany Medical College of Union University.  After a three year postdoctoral fellowship in Immunogenetics at the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Center, Dr. Eastman became involved in the development of recombinant DNA vaccines using viral vectors while still at the Wadsworth Center and later, became the director of Molecular Diagnostics in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Albany Medical Center.  After six years, Dr. Eastman moved on to the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center as a forensic scientist in the Biological Science section where she performed serology and DNA casework, trained forensic scientists, developed improved technologies for processing DNA casework, and helped implement casework backlog reduction initiatives.   During her tenure at the NYSP, Dr. Eastman participated in quality assurance audits of crime labs in the U.S. and China, and consulted for the NYS Attorney General on post-conviction DNA testing.  Dr. Eastman also has served as an associate professor in the M.S. in Forensic Biology program at the University at Albany since the program’s inception in 2001. Retiring after 13 years of service at the New York State Police, Dr. Eastman joined the staff at the FIP Laboratory.

• Elizabeth Collins, M.S.
  Forensic Scientist
  

  Elizabeth Collins earned her B.S. in Science Pre-Professional Studies at the University of Notre Dame and her M.S. in Forensic Biology from the State University of New York at Albany. Liz first joined the FIP Laboratory in 2007 as a graduate student intern, during which time she validated robotic methods for the extraction of DNA from forensic samples and developed protocols for the laboratory’s genetic analyzers. In 2008, Liz joined the staff as a Forensic Scientist and is qualified in serology and DNA casework. She also continues to play an integral role in the development of better methods and procedures for analyzing DNA casework.
  

• Amanda Coons, M.S.
  Forensic Scientist Associate
  

  As an undergraduate at Siena College, Amanda Coons worked in the Research and Development lab at Taconic Biotechnology, where she was instrumental in validating, implementing, and designing assays for real-time PCR technology.  After completing her B.S. in Biology, she went on to earn her M.S. in Forensic Biology at the State University of New York at Albany, where she taught General Biology and Immunology laboratories.  Amanda completed a graduate internship at the FIP Laboratory, after which she joined the staff in 2009 as a Forensic Scientist Associate.  She is qualified in serology casework and is currently training in DNA analysis methods.  Amanda also plays an integral role in validating improved methods for body fluid detection and human identification. 

• Susan LaCombe
  Forensic Administrator
  
  
• Rachel Egan, B.S.
  Purchasing Agent
  

  Rachel Egan obtained her B.A. in Anthropology from the State University of New York at Oneonta. In 2007 Rachel joined the staff at FIP Laboratory as the Purchasing Agent.  As such, she is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with vendors and acting as the liaison between the FIP staff and outside companies. She is responsible for performing all tasks necessary in order to obtain the equipment and supplies needed to ensure the proper functionality of the laboratory.