International Conference on Forensic Research & Technology

Chicago, IL, October 21, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Forensic Research-2012

International Conference on Forensic Research and Technology was organized by OMICS Group to set new standards in research. It was held on October 15-17, 2012 at DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago-NorthShore, USA. The conference provided a platform for investigators to collaborate and share new ideas, innovations & strategies in fight against crime and terrorism. It paved way to gather visionaries through the research talks and presentations and put forward many thought provoking strategies in Forensic Research & Technology.

Mark W. Perlin

Mark W. Perlin, Chief Scientific and Executive Officer at Cybergenetics gave his talk on When Good DNA Goes Bad. Here is a brief description about his talk. Forensic identification is an information science that serves society, helping to protect the public from crime. DNA is the forensic gold standard, providing match statistics that quantify identification information. Preserving information is especially important with DNA mixtures, a common type of biological evidence that contains more than one person. Computer mixture interpretation is effective in preserving DNA evidence information, as confirmed by scientific validation studies that have measured its sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility. But current human review of the same mixtures is far less effective – half the time lab personnel produce no conclusive statistic, and, when they do, most of the information is lost. Indeed, vital government DNA databases for solving cold cases use only a tenth of collected mixture evidence. More effective public policy is needed to help bridge the DNA information gap. Criminals should be identified, and innocents cleared, using the best available DNA technology. This talk introduces the scientific and legal issues, and proposes solutions that could help taxpayers obtain far greater DNA protection for their forensic dollar.

Jaiprakash G. Shewale

Jaiprakash G. Shewale, Technical Director, in the Human Identification Division of Life Technologies Corporation gave his talk on Evolution in forensic DNA analysis: Workflows for single source and evidence samples. Here is a bird’s view of his talk. Genotyping of biological samples for Short Tandem Repeats (STR) is now routinely performed in human identification and forensic laboratories. Recently, the European forensic community (ENFSI and EDNAP) expanded the number of autosomal STR loci from 10 to 16 for generating the database. Similarly, the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) Core Loci working Group in the USA recommended expanding the required minimal core loci for the database from 13 autosomal STR loci to 19, with 3 optional loci and 1 Y-chromosome marker also specified. Global successes in the utility of STR markers as a means of resolving criminal cases has generated the need for high throughput workflows for single source samples for database generation and robust STR amplification systems that can generate profiles from small quantities of DNA that may originate from highly compromised samples. To meet these evolving needs, we developed optimized workflows for single source samples and evidence samples. The AmpFlSTR® Identifiler® Direct and NGM SElect™ Express PCR Amplification kits enable amplification of DNA from a punch of blood or buccal cells deposited onto a paper substrate thereby eliminating the need for extraction and isolation of DNA. The innovative Prep-N-Go™ buffer system acts as a facilitator of lysis and enables processing of buccal swab samples deposited onto plain filter paper substrates or swabs. The Identifiler® Plus and NGM SElect™ kits are designed for casework samples. These kits are capable of generating STR profiles from samples containing < 100 pg of DNA and can tolerate PCR inhibitors that are commonly present in forensic samples. In view of the importance of global database sharing, a multiplex STR amplification system is under development incorporating the recommendations of the CODIS Core Loci Working Group. It is estimated that the power of discrimination using this system is 7.12E-26 compared to 2.6E-17 for the commonly used Identifiler® kit that encompasses 15 STR loci. The presentation will cover the capabilities of these STR genotyping systems and share data generated from forensic type samples.

Speakers

1. Mark W Perlin
2. Jaiprakash G. Shewale
3. David A. Dampier
4. Monica G. Pessanha
5. Piyush Kapila
6. Sarah Hainsworth
7. Akihiro Shiina
8. Diana Kristensen
9. Piyush Kapila
10. Marilia Etienne Arreguy
11. Claudia Vieira da Silva
12. Ray Bull
13. CA Morgan III
14. Ray Bull
15. Lisa Smith
16. Pakkirisamy Chandra Sekharan
17. Prathibha Prasad
18. Rachadaporn Benchawattananon
19. Konstantinos Papazoglou
20. Roni Gagin
21. Rachadaporn Benchawattananon
22. David R. Montague
23. Anna Danielewicz-Betz
24. David A Dampier
25. Rick Breazeale
26. Anupuma Raina
27. Kola Abimbola
28. Ludvik Pinc
29. Jiri Pachman
30. Ogebe Onazi