Biological samples collected from crime scenes, mass disasters, and missing persons cases may have been exposed to harsh environmental conditions such as heat, direct sunlight, and water that break down the chemical structure of DNA. Environmental exposure damages DNA by randomly breaking the molecules into smaller pieces. Inhibitors of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), such as some textile dyes, can also interfere with the ability to recover a full DNA profile from biological evidence. New DNA tests are being developed to recover information from smaller regions of DNA, which are more likely to be intact following DNA damage. These new DNA tests include miniSTRs (using PCR primers close to the STR repeat region) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Whole genome amplification and DNA repair methods are also being evaluated to determine the possibility of enriching PCR amplifiable material from limited or damaged DNA templates.
Repair of Damaged DNA for Forensic Analysis
GE Global Research
Award Number: 2006-DN-BX-K018
Double Strand Break Repair of Highly Degraded DNA
University of Central Florida
Award Number: 2006-DN-BX-K005
An Investigation of the Effect of DNA Degradation and Inhibition on PCR Amplification of Single Source and Mixed Forensic Samples
Florida International University
Award Number: 2006-DN-BX-K006
Development and Evaluation of a Whole Genome Amplification Method for Accurate Multiplex STR Genotyping of Compromised Forensic Casework Samples
Virginia Commonwealth University
Award Number: 2005-DA-BX-K002
The Use of MiniSTRs as Tools for the Investigation of DNA Degradation and Inhibition
Florida International University
Award Number: 2005-MU-BX-K073
Recently closed
Assessment and In Vitro Repair of Damaged DNA TemplatesUniversity of Central Florida
Award Number: 2002-IJ-CX-K001
Final Report (pdf)
Novel STR Multiplexes with Reduced Size to Analyze DNA
Ohio University
Award Number: 2002-IJ-CX-K007
Final Report (pdf)
Developing a High Yield DNA Isolation Method Using Matrix Proteinase for Compromised Skeletal Samples
Sam Houston University
Award Number: 2003-IJ-CX-K105
Increasing the Predictability and Success Rate of Skeletal Evidence Typing: Using Physical Characteristics of Bone as a Metric for DNA Quality and Quantity
Michigan State University
Award Number: 2002-IJ-CX-K016
Final Report (pdf)
Developmental validation of a multiplex qPCR assay for assessing the quantity and quality of nuclear DNA in forensic samples.
Swango KL, Hudlow WR, Timken MD, Buoncristiani MR.
Forensic Sci Int. 2006 Oct 27; [Epub ahead of print]
View Pub Med Entry
Grant number: 2002-IJ-CX-K008
A quantitative PCR assay for the assessment of DNA degradation in forensic samples.
Swango KL, Timken MD, Chong MD, Buoncristiani MR.
Forensic Sci Int. 2006 Apr 20;158(1):14-26. Epub 2005 Jun 3
View Pub Med Entry
Swango KL, Hudlow WR, Timken MD, Buoncristiani MR.
Forensic Sci Int. 2006 Oct 27; [Epub ahead of print]
View Pub Med Entry
Grant number: 2002-IJ-CX-K008
A quantitative PCR assay for the assessment of DNA degradation in forensic samples.
Swango KL, Timken MD, Chong MD, Buoncristiani MR.
Forensic Sci Int. 2006 Apr 20;158(1):14-26. Epub 2005 Jun 3
View Pub Med Entry
Grant number: 2002-IJ-CX-K008
Novel thermostable Y-family polymerases: applications for the PCR amplification of damaged or ancient DNAs McDonald JP, Hall A, Gasparutto D, Cadet J, Ballantyne J, Woodgate R.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2006 Feb 18;34(4):1102-11
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Grant number: 2003-IJ-CX-K001
Nucleic Acids Res. 2006 Feb 18;34(4):1102-11
View Pub Med Entry
Grant number: 2003-IJ-CX-K001
The application of miniplex primer sets in the analysis of degraded DNA from human skeletal remains.
Opel KL, Chung DT, Drabek J, Tatarek NE, Jantz LM, McCord BR.
J Forensic Sci. 2006 Mar;51(2):351-6.
Pub Med
View Pub Med Entry
Grant number: 2002-IJ-CX-K007
Opel KL, Chung DT, Drabek J, Tatarek NE, Jantz LM, McCord BR.
J Forensic Sci. 2006 Mar;51(2):351-6.
Pub Med
View Pub Med Entry
Grant number: 2002-IJ-CX-K007
J Forensic Sci. 2005 Jan;50(1):43-53
Grant number: 2003-IJ-R-029
Analysis of artificially degraded DNA using STRs and SNPs-results of a collaborative European (EDNAP) exercise.
Dixon LA, Dobbins AE, Pulker HK, Butler JM, Vallone PM, Coble MD, Parson W, Berger B, Grubwieser P, Mogensen HS, Morling N, Nielsen K, Sanchez JJ, Petkovski E, Carracedo A, Sanchez-Diz P, Ramos-Luis E, Brion M, Irwin JA, Just RS, Loreille O, Parsons TJ, Syndercombe-Court D, Schmitter H, Stradmann-Bellinghausen B, Bender K, Gill P.
Forensic Sci Int. 2005 Dec 9; [Epub ahead of print]
Pub Med
View Pub Med Entry
Grant number: 2003-IJ-R-029
Dixon LA, Dobbins AE, Pulker HK, Butler JM, Vallone PM, Coble MD, Parson W, Berger B, Grubwieser P, Mogensen HS, Morling N, Nielsen K, Sanchez JJ, Petkovski E, Carracedo A, Sanchez-Diz P, Ramos-Luis E, Brion M, Irwin JA, Just RS, Loreille O, Parsons TJ, Syndercombe-Court D, Schmitter H, Stradmann-Bellinghausen B, Bender K, Gill P.
Forensic Sci Int. 2005 Dec 9; [Epub ahead of print]
Pub Med
View Pub Med Entry
Grant number: 2003-IJ-R-029
Characterization of UVC-induced DNA damage in bloodstains: forensic implications
Hall A, Ballantyne J.
Anal Bioanal Chem. 2004 380:72-83
Grant number: 2002-IJ-CX-K001
Concordance study between Miniplex assays and a commercial STR typing kit.
Drabek J, Chung DT, Butler JM, McCord BR.
Drabek J, Chung DT, Butler JM, McCord BR.
J Forensic Sci. 2004 Jul;49(4):859-60.
Grant number: 2002-IJ-CX-K007
A study on the effects of degradation and template concentration on the amplification efficiency of the STR Miniplex primer sets.
Chung DT, Drabek J, Opel KL, Butler JM, McCord BR.
Chung DT, Drabek J, Opel KL, Butler JM, McCord BR.
J Forensic Sci. 2004 Jul;49(4):733-40.
Grant number: 2002-IJ-CX-K007
The development of reduced size STR amplicons as tools for analysis of degraded DNA.
Butler JM, Shen Y, McCord BR.
Butler JM, Shen Y, McCord BR.
J Forensic Sci. 2003 Sep;48(5):1054-64.
Grant number: 2002-IJ-CX-K007
