TESTS SOURCED FROM TINY TRACES
Tests sourced from tiny traces
The DNA testing technique suspended by police following the acquittal of Omagh bomb suspect Sean Hoey allows scientists to cultivate identifiable DNA samples from very few human cells.
Using Low Copy Number (LCN) technique, forensic experts have been able to link offenders to the scene of a crime from sweat, skin or fingerprint traces one million times smaller than a grain of salt.
LCN DNA has been successfully generated from items such as tools, matchsticks, weapon handles and grabbed clothing. However, critics claim that because the technique relies on the magnification of tiny samples, the potential for error is also magnified. It has been found to be more sensitive than traditional DNA analysis, with contamination more likely to lead to a flawed result.
The reliability of the method was brought into question during Mr Hoey's trial when it was revealed that a sample found on an abandoned dissident republican car bomb in Lisburn was wrongly attributed to a 14-year-old school boy in Nottingham.
The DNA testing technique suspended by police following the acquittal of Omagh bomb suspect Sean Hoey allows scientists to cultivate identifiable DNA samples from very few human cells.
Using Low Copy Number (LCN) technique, forensic experts have been able to link offenders to the scene of a crime from sweat, skin or fingerprint traces one million times smaller than a grain of salt.
LCN DNA has been successfully generated from items such as tools, matchsticks, weapon handles and grabbed clothing. However, critics claim that because the technique relies on the magnification of tiny samples, the potential for error is also magnified. It has been found to be more sensitive than traditional DNA analysis, with contamination more likely to lead to a flawed result.
The reliability of the method was brought into question during Mr Hoey's trial when it was revealed that a sample found on an abandoned dissident republican car bomb in Lisburn was wrongly attributed to a 14-year-old school boy in Nottingham.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/1050
Published Date: 22-Dec-07
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