By JOSEPH P. FOSTER, Associated Press science reporterA chemical biology laboratory has developed a new DNA-based technology that could be the tool of choice in criminal trials.
The new technology uses an enzyme called DNA-accelerated polymerase chain reaction (ACPCR) to convert DNA from cells in the body into RNA, which can then be sequenced to analyze DNA sequences, according to a report in Nature Communications.
The technology has already been tested in a lab, but this is the first time it’s been applied to a legal proceeding.
The method is known as “biological profiling,” and it relies on DNA sequences to create a profile of an individual.
The technique can identify the DNA sequence that the body produces in response to a given chemical or biological compound.
The profile can be compared to other DNA sequences in the system to identify patterns of association, or the presence of common traits.
The National Institutes of Health-funded project is working to identify the “signatures” of a person, so they can be identified and linked to other criminal cases.
Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University at Buffalo have also been working on this technology for several years, and the university is now one of the first institutions to test it on animals.
This is one of many advances that are coming from the National Institutes for Health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense.
The government agencies are also investing in the technology, which they hope to develop in partnership with private companies to help combat diseases such as Zika and malaria.
The research, which was funded by the National Science Foundation, is expected to begin in 2019 and be completed by 2021.
