Forensic DNA Research and Development
The Office of Justice Programs' National Institute of Justice (NIJ) funds research to improve the use of forensic DNA. This program's goal is to direct advances in human genetics, molecular biology, and biotechnology toward the development of novel tools and technologies that will permit DNA to be used in all areas of criminal investigation.
NIJ provides opportunities for scientists from universities, crime laboratories, and other public and private sector agencies to compete for research and development grant funds. Examples of projects funded under NIJ's Forensic DNA R&D Program include mini-STRs for the examination of degraded DNA, mtDNA coding region SNPs for resolving the common mtDNA haplotypes, and novel real-time PCR assays for DNA quantitation and evidence screening.
Solicitations are announced on DNA.gov, the NIJ Web site, and Grants.gov. If currently there are no open research funding opportunities, you can:
- Review ongoing research projects and journal articles generated by NIJ-funded research.
- Read solicitations from previous years to get an idea of what types of projects are of interest to NIJ.
- Sign-up for an email alert whenever NIJ releases a new solicitation.
Past Awards
The table below presents awards funded since fiscal year 2008.[1] View on the NIJ web site awards made in prior years: 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004.
Sort the table by selecting a column head. Sort multiple columns by holding down "Shift" as you select heads.
| Year | Title | Category(ies) | Awardee | Amount | Award Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Molecular Characterization of Trace Biological Evidence for the Optimized Recovery and Analysis of 'Touch DNA' | General Tools and Information | University of Central Florida | $304,657 | 2010-DN-BX-K139 |
| 2010 | Resolution of DNA Mixtures and Analysis of Degraded DNA Using the 454 DNA Sequencing Technology | Compromised DNA Evidence, Mixture Separation, General Tools and Information | Children's Hospital & Research Center at Oakland | $699,230 | 2010-DN-BX-K141 |
| 2010 | Assessing Deep Sequencing Technology for Human Forensic mitochondrial DNA | Mitochondrial DNA | Western Carolina University | $397,098 | 2010-DN-BX-K171 |
| 2010 | Tools for improving the quality of aged, degraded, damaged, or otherwise compromised DNA evidence | Compromised DNA Evidence | Board of Regents University of Wisconsin | $999,825 | 2010-DN-BX-K190 |
| 2010 | Targeted Non-Destructive Evidence Detection and Collection | General Tools and Information | Bode Technology Group, Inc | $348,175 | 2010-DN-BX-K191 |
| 2010 | Development of a Proteomic Assay for Menstrual Blood, Vaginal Fluid and Species Identification | Alternative Genetic Markers, General Tools and Information | NY City Office of Chief Medical Examiner | $418,824 | 2010-DN-BX-K192 |
| 2010 | Effective Long-Term Preservation of Biological Evidence | General Tools and Information | Bode Technology Group, Inc | $353,186 | 2010-DN-BX-K193 |
| 2010 | Detection and remediation of PCR inhibition using real time PCR melt curves as a diagnostic tool. | Compromised DNA Evidence | Florida International University | $294,800 | 2010-DN-BX-K204 |
| 2010 | A Microfluidic Microarray Instrument to Type SNPs for Physical Appearance | Alternative Genetic Markers, Miniaturization and Automation | Akonni Biosystems Inc. | $499,198 | 2010-DN-BX-K209 |
| 2010 | Trace DNA from Fingernails: Increasing the SuccessRate of Widely Collected Forensic Evidence | General Tools and Information | Michigan State University | $132,046 | 2010-DN-BX-K224 |
| 2010 | Further Development of SNP Panels for Forensics | Alternative Genetic Markers | Yale University | $1,351,352 | 2010-DN-BX-K225 |
| 2010 | Developing a Forensic Resource/Reference On Genetics knowledge base | Alternative Genetic Markers, General Tools and Information | Yale University | $643,771 | 2010-DN-BX-K226 |
| 2010 | Addressing Quality and Quantity; the Role of DNA Repair and Whole Genome Amplification in Forensically Relevant Samples | Compromised DNA Evidence | UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth | $363,613 | 2010-DN-BX-K227 |
| 2010 | Evaluating the Use of DNA and RNA Degradation for Estimating the Post-Mortem Interval | General Tools and Information | The University of Tennessee | $167,414 | 2010-DN-BX-K228 |
| 2010 | Developing an Empirically-Based Ranking Order for Bone Sampling: Examining the Differential DNA Yield Rates between Human Skeletal Elements over Increasing Post Mortem Intervals | General Tools and Information | University of Tennessee Knoxville | $200,316 | 2010-DN-BX-K229 |
| 2010 | Genetic Markers Associated with Sudden Unexplained Death or Sudden Infant Death | Alternative Genetic Makers, General Tools and Information | County of Harris | $254,521 | 2010-DN-BX-K230 |
| 2009 | Application of Microfluidics and Automation in Holographic Optical Trapping for Forensic DNA Research and Development: Relevance to Rape Kit Analysis. | Mixture Separation | Arryx, Incorporated | 2009-DN-BX-K260 | $362,800 |
| 2009 | Automated Processing of FTA Samples | General Tools and Information | General Electric Company | $499,967 | 2009-DN-BX-K187 |
| 2009 | Automated Processing of Sexual Assault Cases Using Selective Degradation | General Tools and Information | Paternity Testing Corporation | $294,360 | 2009-DN-BX-K039 |
| 2009 | Denver Police Department, Crime Laboratory Bureau: Forensic DNA Research and Development - Sperm Capture Using Aptamer Based Technology | Sperm Detection and Separation | Denver Police Department | $405,812 | 2009-DN-BX-K043 |
| 2009 | Predicting the Biological Age of a Bloodstain Donor | General Tools and Information | The University of Central Florida | $300,450 | 2009-DN-BX-K179 |
| 2009 | Development of Linkage Phase Analysis Software for Resolving mtDNA Mixtures | Mitochondrial DNA | University of Denver – Colorado Seminary | $42,646 | 2009-DN-BX-K047 |
| 2009 | Microchip Analyzer for Forensic Short Tandem Repeat Typing of Single Cells | Miniaturization and Automation | Regents of the University of California - Berkeley | $241,117 | 2009-DN-BX-K180 |
| 2009 | Development of a SNP Assay Panel for Ancestral Origin Inference and Individuals Somatic Traits | Alternative Genetic Markers | George Washington University | $255,918 | 2009-DN-BX-K178 |
| 2009 | Application of Proteinases for DNA Isolation of Challenged Bone Specimens | Compromised DNA | Research Foundation of CUNY | $33,037 | 2009-DN-BX-K209 |
| 2009 | Identification of Forensically Relevant Fluids and Tissues by Small RNA Profiling | General Tools and Information | University of Central Florida | $328,962 | 2009-DN-BX-K255 |
| 2009 | DNA Analysis of LCN Samples: Towards Fully Integrated STR Profiling | Miniaturization and Automation | Network Biosystems, Inc | $496,991 | 2009-DN-BX-K256 |
| 2009 | Validation of Highly-Specific Protein Markers for the Identification of Biological Stains | General Tools and Information | University of Denver– Colorado Seminary | $243,427 | 2009-DN-BX-K165 |
| 2009 | A Low Cost Microfluidic Instrument for Typing SNPs | Miniaturization and Automation | Akonni Biosystems Inc | $495,031 | 2009-DN-BX-K189 |
| 2009 | Improved Tools and Interpretation Guidelines for Examining Limited Low Copy Number DNA Obtained from Degraded Single Source Samples: Bones, Teeth, and Hairs | Low Copy Number | University of North Texas Health Science Center | $935,992 | 2009-DN-BX-K188 |
| 2009 | Identification and Separation of Evidence Mixtures Using SNP-Based FISH Techniques and Laser Microdissection | Mixture Separation | The Bode Technology Group, Inc | $320,021 | 2009-DN-BX-K250 |
| 2009 | Next Generation Sequencing-based STR Mixture Deconvolution and STR Profiling of Degraded Samples | Mixture Separation | Science Applications International Corporation | $243,368 | 2009-DN-BX-K181 |
| 2009 | Application of Raman Spectroscopy for an Easy-to-Use, on-Field, Rapid, Nondestructive, Confirmatory Identification of Body Fluids | General Tools and Information | The Research Foundation of SUNY | $374,395 | 2009-DN-BX-K186 |
| 2008 | Identifying and Communicating Genetic Determinants of Facial Features:Practical Considerations in Forensic Molecular Photofitting | Alternative Genetic Markers | Pennsylvania State University | $500,000 | 2008-DN-BX-K125 |
| 2008 | Microdevice for Sperm and Sperm DNA Isolation | Sperm Detection and Separation | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $445,673 | 2008-IJ-R-134 |
| 2008 | Global mtDNA Databasing Project | Mitochondrial DNA | Armed Forces Institute of Pathology | $2,572,553 | 2005-DN-R-086 |
| 2008 | Closed System DNA Purification for Degraded and Compromised Evidence in Microfluidic Devices | Miniaturization and Automation | University of Virginia | $480,000 | 2008-DN-BX-K144 |
| 2008 | Human Specific DNA Quantitation for Fully Integrated Microfluidic STR Analysis | Miniaturization and Automation | Network Biosystems Inc. | $494,319 | 2008-DN-BX-K009 |
| 2008 | De-convolution of Body Fluid Mixtures: Cell Type Identification and Single Source Genetic Profiling of Micro-Dissected Cells | General Tools and Information | University of Central Florida | $415,776 | 2008-DN-BX-K007 |
| 2008 | NIJ Proposal to Enhance Methods for Studying Degraded DNA | Compromised DNA Evidence | Washington State University, Spokane | $595,196 | 2008-DN-BX-K008 |
| 2008 | Identification and Separation of Same Gender Mixtures of Various Cell Types Using Interphase FISH Techniques and Laser Microdissection | General Tools and Information | Bode Technology Group Inc | $125,773 | 2008-IJ-CX-K016 |
| 2008 | High Throughput Mass Spectrometry to Exploit Genetic Differences in Same-Length STR Alleles | Alternative Genetic Markers | Ibis Biosciences, Inc | $649,821 | 2008-DN-BX-K304 |
| 2008 | Development of a DNA-Based Real-Time PCR assay for Identification of Semen, Blood and Saliva | General Tools and Information | Towson University | $170,643 | 2008-DN-BX-K137 |
| 2008 | Sample Collection Systems for DNA Analysis of Forensic Evidence Samples | Miniaturization and Automation | Network Biosystems, Inc. | $498,563 | 2008-DN-BX-K010 |
| 2008 | Rapid STR Prescreening of Forensic Samples at the Crime Scene | General Tools and Information | Midwest Research Institute | $498,064 | 2008-DN-BX-K012 |
| 2008 | Establishment of a Fast and Accurate Proteomic Method for Body Fluid/Cell Type | General Tools and Information | New York City, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner | $426,080 | 2008-DN-BX-K011 |
| 2008 | Development of a DNA-Based Multi-Species Identification and Quantification Assay | Non-human DNA | University of California, Davis | $538,653 | 2008-DN-BX-K288 |
| 2008 | Holographic Optical Trapping in Forensic Research and Development: Application to Rape Kit Analysis | Sperm Detection and Separation | Arryx, Inc | $251,026 | 2008-DN-BX-K123 |
| 2008 | Detection and quantitation of spermatozoa | Sperm Detection and Separation | Paternity Testing Corporation | $361,651 | 2008-IJ-CX-K007 |
| 2008 | Taq Mutants Engineered for Forensics | General Tools and Information | DNA Polymerase Technology, Inc | $200,621 | 2008-DN-BX-K299 |
[1] Not included in this list are projects funded under broad Interagency Agreements, only a portion of which was used for forensic DNA research and development.
