Forensic Research & Technology

Current forensic workfl ows prematurely truncate the full power of genomics. By using techniques that pre-date the Human Genome Project and require multiple rounds of analysis to produce mediocre genetic profi les, the forensic community is failing to grasp the full potential and magnitude of current technologies. Despite the name, “next generation sequencing” (NGS), this technology has been around for over a decade and the future of forensic genomics is here. Next-generation sequencing is the “now generation” and it is transforming the capabilities of human identifi cation laboratories. Th ese platforms enable simultaneous analysis of forensically relevant genetic markers to improve effi ciency, capacity and resolution, bringing modern science in placeof outmoded DNA fi ngerprinting and STR profi ling. With NGS, forensic scientists have access to a greater number of informativeloci, superior analysis of degraded samples, higher resolution sequencing and greater overall throughput with library multiplexing. These advances will help solve more cases in a shorter amount of time and will produce investigative leads for cases that would have reached dead ends. Like every previous advancements, in DNA technology, there will be legislative, admissibility, constitutional and perception issues. We could easily fail to realize the benefi ts of NGS if, as a community, we don’t recognize the concerns that sequencing presents to those who have never trusted government’s possession of their genetic identity. Regardless, as NGS emerges as a technology readily applicable to forensics, we will only leverage its benefi ts to solve crimes and prevent victimization to the extent that we can pave the way for its adoption through solid education and advocacy.