Description
Forensic investigations can be aided by association of biological material from animals, plants, or microbes to a victim or suspect. For example, domestic animals such as cats and dogs live in human habitats and may deposit hair that can be used to associate a suspect with a particular crime scene or victim. Thus, efforts are underway to improve genetic marker systems and assays for cat and dog DNA. Sources of marijuana may also be linked through the power of DNA testing.
Entomological evidence also can be used to investigate crimes. For example, insects found on a homicide victim can help determine time of death.
Research Projects
The table below presents awards funded both prior to and under the the President's DNA Initiative, which began in 2004.
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| Year | Title | Awardee | Amount | Award Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Development of a DNA-Based Multi-Species Identification and Quantification Assay | University of California, Davis | $538,653 | 2008-DN-BX-K288 |
| 2007 | A Rapid, Efficient and Effective Assay to Determine Species Origin in Biological Materials | Bode Technology Group, Inc. | $170,212 | 2007-DN-BX-K144 |
| 2005 | DNA-Based Identification of Forensically Important Diptera | University of Cincinnati | $574,557 | 2005-DA-BX-K102 |
| 2004 | mtDNA Reference Database for Domestic Dogs | George Washington University | $243,144 | 2004-DN-BX-K004 |
| 2004 | Development and Validation of a Standardized Canine STR Panel for Use in Forensic Casework | University of California | $310,798 | 2004-DN-BX-K007 |
| 2004 | Generating More Precise Postmortem Interval Estimates With Entomological Evidence | Michigan State University | $185,001 | 2004-DN-BX-K005 |
| 2001 | Plant DNA Typing by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism | University of New Haven | $259,868 | 2001-IJ-CX-K011 |
| 1999 | Development of a PCR-Based Forensic Typing System for Genetic Individualization of Domestic Cats | Laboratory for Genomic Research, National Cancer Institute | $265,570 | 1999-IJ-CX-A079 |
| 1999 | Development of DNA-Based Identification Techniques for Forensic Entomology, Phase 2 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | $115,366 | 1999-IJ-CX-0034 |
| 1997 | Development of DNA Identification Techniques for Forensically Important Insects | University of California—Berkeley | $60,000 | 1997-IJ-CX-0035 |
Research Articles and Reports
Select a title to view an abstract from PubMed database (National Library of Medicine's) unless a different file type is indicated.
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| Title | Authors | Publication | Awardee | Award Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DNA-based identification and molecular systematics of forensically important Sarcophagidae (Diptera). | Wells JD, Pape T, Sperling FA. | J Forensic Sci. 2001 Sep; 46(5):1098-102. | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 1999-IJ-CX-0034 |
| Human and insect mitochondrial DNA analysis from maggots. | Wells JD, Pape T, Sperling FA. | J Forensic Sci. 2001 May; 46(3):685-7. | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 1999-IJ-CX-0034 |
| DNA-based identification of forensically important Chrysomyinae (Diptera: Calliphoridae). | Wells JD, Sperling FA. | Forensic Sci Int. 2001 Aug 15; 120(1-2):110-5. | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 1999-IJ-CX-0034 |
| An Overview of DNA Methods for the Identification and Individualization of Marijuana | Coyle HM, Palmbach T, Juliano N, Ladd C, Lee HC | Croatian Medical Journal 2003 44(3):315-321 | University of New Haven | 2001-IJ-CX-K011 |
| Quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based assay for estimating DNA yield extracted from domestic cat specimens. | Menotti-Raymond M, David V, Wachter L, Yuhki N, O'Brien SJ. | Croat Med J. 2003 Jun; 44(3):327-31. | Laboratory for Genomic Research, National Cancer Institute | 1999-IJ-CX-A079 |
| An overview of DNA methods for the identification and individualization of marijuana | Coyle HM, Palmbach T, Juliano N, Ladd C, Lee HC | Croatian Medical Journal 2003 44(3):315-321 | University of New Haven | 2001-IJ-CX-K011 |
| Components of developmental plasticity in a Michigan population of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae). | Tarone AM, Foran DR. | J Med Entomol. 2006 Sep; 43(5):1023-33. | Michigan State University | 2004-DN-BX-K005 |
| Real-time polymerase chain reaction quantification of canine DNA. | Evans JJ, Wictum EJ, Penedo MC, Kanthaswamy S. | J Forensic Sci. 2007 Jan; 52(1):93-6. | University of California | 2004-DN-BX-K007 |
| Validation of a DNA Method for the Individualization of Plant Evidence (pdf, 19 pages) | Heather Miller Coyle, Gary Shutler, Lois Tully, Elaine Pagliaro, Albert Harper | Final Grant Report | University of New Haven | 2001-IJ-CX-K011 |
| Mitochondrial DNA and STR analyses of maggot crop contents: effect of specimen preservation technique. | Linville JG, Hayes J, Wells JD. | J Forensic Sci. 2004 Mar; 49(2):341-4. | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 1999-IJ-CX-0034 |
| An STR forensic typing system for genetic individualization of domestic cat (Felis catus) samples | Menotti-Raymond MA, David VA, Wachter LL, Butler JM, O'Brien SJ | J Forensic Sci. 2005 Sep; 50(5):1061-1070. | Laboratory for Genomic Research, National Cancer Institute | 1999-IJ-CX-A079 |
