Field-based detection of biological samples for forensic analysis: Established techniques, novel tools, and future innovations

Abstract

Field based forensic tests commonly provide information on the presence and identity of biological stains and can also support the identification of species. Such information can support downstream processing of forensic samples and generate rapid intelligence. These approaches have traditionally used chemical and immunological techniques to elicit the result but some are known to suffer from a lack of specificity and sensitivity. The last 10 years has seen the development of field-based genetic profiling systems, with specific focus on moving the mainstay of forensic genetic analysis, namely STR profiling, out of the laboratory and into the hands of the non-laboratory user. In doing so it is now possible for enforcement officers to generate a crime scene DNA profile which can then be matched to a reference or database profile. The introduction of these novel genetic platforms also allows for further development of new molecular assays aimed at answering the more traditional questions relating to body fluid identity and species detection. The current drive for field-based molecular tools is in response to the needs of the criminal justice system and enforcement agencies, and promises a step-change in how forensic evidence is processed. However, the adoption of such systems by the law enforcement community does not represent a new strategy in the way forensic science has integrated previous novel approaches. Nor do they automatically represent a threat to the quality control and assurance practices that are central to the field. This review examines the historical need and subsequent research and developmental breakthroughs in field-based forensic analysis over the past two decades with particular focus on genetic methods Emerging technologies from a range of scientific fields that have potential applications in forensic analysis at the crime scene are identified and associated issues that arise from the shift from laboratory into operational field use are discussed.

A mobile laboratory for ancient DNA analysis

“…For studies on extant DNA, great attention is paid to on-field analysis to perform medical diagnostics at the point-of-care, for forensic sciences, food testing, environmental monitoring, and detection of biothreat agents (see [21,22] for review). Progress accomplished thanks to such studies for rapid DNA analysis, together with the increasing need to avoid the dissemination of museum collections and the observation that freshly excavated fossils are best for ancient DNA analysis [23,24] call for the evaluation of the on-field approach for ancient DNA studies.…”

A Designed Experiment: Polymorphism Analysis of Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Gene from Human Buccal Epithelial Cells

“…Individual identification can be explained by linking the laboratory practice students have done here with suspect identification in a criminal case, in which instructors can interact with students to help find the real criminal by observing the experimental results (Fig. ) . Similarly, students can identify a real biological father or mother according to the DNA fingerprint results (Fig.…”

Direct Analysis of Human Hair Before and After Cosmetic Modification Using a Recent Data Fusion Method

“…Human hair has macroscopic peculiarities, e.g., color and shape, 1,2 and the main molecular approach for hair characterization is deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, 3 which yields a unique fingerprint that differentiates one person from another. Thus, human hair samples have been considered to be reliable evidence at crime scenes over the last years.…”

“…However, a DNA profiling result requires a reference or database profile, the comparison to which is sometimes inconclusive, being time-consuming, limited to hair samples with intact bulbs and may not be available in some places. 3 To overcome these limitations, attempts to investigate the chemical composition of human hair have been described in the scientific literature. [7][8][9][10] Nevertheless, most studies have been related to the organic composition.…”