A Rapid, Confirmatory Test for Body Fluid Identification

This is a confirmatory test in which multiple samples can be processed in less than an hour; and it is potentially portable, permitting samples to be processed at the crime scene. Samples at a scene giving a positive result can be further processed, and those failing to do so may be ignored. There is a large and growing backlog of DNA evidence in the USA, slowing down the criminal justice system. This backlog has continued to grow despite an increase in the ability to process evidence faster. This technique uses quantum dot molecular beacons to test for tissue-specific RNA species, identifying particular body fluids. This project demonstrates the tissue specificity of molecular beacons for blood, semen, and saliva. (publisher abstract modified)