Project responsibles

Dr. Johannes Hedman
Prof Peter Rådström

Forensic DNA analysis has become an important tool in the investigation of crime. It can be used to connect a suspect to a crime scene as well as to exonerate innocent persons. Any human tissue type found on any material can be used as evidence. With samples that are heterogeneous and often impure, the analysis is a challenge. The research at Applied Microbiology is aimed at improving the limit of detection for biological crime scene stain analysis, through enhanced sampling, DNA extraction and PCR. The research includes investigating the mechanisms of PCR inhibitors, optimising the inhibitor-tolerance of DNA polymerase-buffer systems in PCR, and mathematical modelling of multiplex PCR. The Swedish National Forensic Centre (NFC), Linköping, is a close research partner since 2007. Since 2011, the collaboration also includes National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.