Human Identification Overview

Many forensic scenarios involve the collection of evidence that may contain low levels of DNA, a mixture of human cells from different individuals, compromised DNA or any mixture of these three. The goal of our research is to develop efficient methods for obtaining analyzable DNA from challenging specimens.

Mixture Analysis

The research department at The Bode Technology Group has developed methods to obtain DNA from several types of trace specimens. Many potential forensic specimens are commonly handled objects. Multiple individuals could have handled these objects, leaving behind a mixture. The Bode Technology Group is developing molecular methods to resolve individual DNA signatures from DNA mixtures using STR and/or mtDNA analysis.

DNA Analysis from Fingerprints

Fingerprints are routinely used in crime scene investigations to characterize individuals associated with forensic evidence. However, fingerprints are sometimes smeared or incomplete and cannot be interpreted or used for further analysis. The use of mtDNA for the identification of fingerprints would be valuable in forensic investigations. The research department at The Bode Technology Group has developed a method to obtain mtDNA from processed fingerprints on both non-porous and porous substrates.

The research department at The Bode Technology Group is currently developing methods to obtain STRs from processed latent fingerprints. Many of the same substrates and chemical processes used for mtDNA recovery will be tested for STRs. Updates on our research will be posted periodically.