DNA Typing

The FORENSIC BIOLOGY SECTION continued to maintain its cutting-edge position in DNA technological advancements when the GBI lab became the first crime laboratory in the country to implement the latest method of DNA analysis, Capillary Electrophoresis (CE). This method offers tremendous potential for improvement in both turn-around time and results. The older DNA methods would take six to seven weeks to process an average case. With this latest technology, GBI scientists are looking forward to processing up to 48 samples in 24 hours with an average case turnaround time of two weeks. Additionally, Capillary Electrophoresis allows GBI scientists to look at 13 different loci and it gives the scientists the ability to determine the sex of the sample all at the same time.
Typing DNA: A forensic biologist prepares a capillary electrophoresis instrument for use. The state-of-the-art CE assigns DNA to samples and then charts the findings on to a computer. Scientists review the results to determine whether the profile matches that of the suspect or victim.
Over the years, the court challenges to the use of DNA technology have moved from the contention that the technology itself is somehow scientifically improper to attacks on the way the statistics are analyzed. The GBI Crime Lab has and will continue to interpret the statistics in a conservative and responsible manner.