Record-breaking DNA comparisons drive fast forensics
Published Date: 6/27/2019
Source: phys.org
Forensic investigators arrive at the scene of a crime to search for clues. There are no known suspects, and every second that passes means more time for the trail to run cold. A DNA sample is discovered, collected, and then sent to a nearby forensics laboratory. There, it is sequenced and fed into a program that compares its genetic contents to DNA profiles stored in the FBI's National DNA Index System (NDIS)—a database containing profiles of 18 million people who have passed through the criminal justice system. The hope is that the crime scene sample will match a profile from the database, pointing the way to a suspect. The sample can also be used for kinship analysis through which the sample is linked to blood relatives, as was done last April to catch the infamous Golden State Killer.