Forensic DNA analysis is a powerful tool to assist in accusation or exoneration of individuals in criminal cases.
The usefulness of DNA analysis comes from knowing an individual’s DNA is unique to them with the exception of identical twins. This uniqueness allows an individual to be implicated or eliminated from a DNA profile found at a crime scene.
Some examples of evidence from which DNA can potentially be obtained is as follows:
| Evidence | Possible source of DNA |
| clothing, hat, shoes | blood, sweat, hair |
| eyeglasses | sweat, skin |
| toothpick | saliva |
| cigarette butt | saliva |
| ligature | sweat |
| bottle, can, glass | saliva |
| sheet | sweat, hair, semen, blood |
| licked skin, bite mark | saliva |
| fingernail | blood, sweat, tissue |
The DNA process utilized by GenQuest analysts consists of:
- Isolating the DNA
- Determining the amount of the DNA
- Making copies of the DNA
- Obtaining a DNA profile
- Analyzing and interpreting the DNA profile
When a DNA profile from a questioned item of evidence (such as a blood stain found at a crime scene) has been deemed to be of sufficient quality the profile can be compared to known DNA profiles from specific individuals. The resulting conclusion can be either an inclusion where the DNA profiles are matching or an exclusion in which the DNA profiles do not match. If the results are an inclusion, a statistical frequency is applied to provide the rarity of the DNA profile. However there are instances where the low quality of DNA obtained from the evidence causes the results to be deemed inconclusive and the sample cannot be utilized in a comparison.
Please fill out a Forensic Evidence Submission Form and mail it to:
133 Coney Island Drive
Sparks, NV 89431
Should you have any questions, please call GenQuest at (877) 362-5227.