Applications of Molecular Genetics to Human Identity

Each year, a large number of human remains are found that cannot be identified by traditional gross morphological methods. New techniques are constantly becoming available in the rapidly evolving fields of molecular genetics and biochemistry, many of which offer the opportunity to obtain more genetic information from highly degraded samples. There are three areas of forensic DNA analysis in particular that may benefit from new technology: DNA isolation, amplification of sample DNA prior to genetic analysis, and utilization of a wider array of genetic analysis tools. The goal of this project is to identify the protocols presently available to molecular biologists in each of these three areas, compare their relative performance, and create new hybrid protocols based upon the strong points of each method.ca/ncf