DNA analysis will show the place of birth of the criminal
Tomsk geneticists will work on a program to identify criminals by DNA
Russian and Belarusian geneticists will develop identity identification technologies based on the study of the gene pools of the regions of the Union State. The program was initiated by the Investigative Committee of Russia, the developer is the Institute of General Genetics. Vavilova, co–developer - Tomsk Research Institute of Medical Genetics.
On July 1, a meeting on the DNA Identification program was held in Moscow, which was attended by Grigory Rapota, Secretary of State of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, representatives of the FANO, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, the Federal Medical and Biological Agency, scientists from the Institute of General Genetics. Vavilov and Tomsk Research Institute of Medical Genetics.
"Now there are new opportunities to make the investigation of crimes faster and more accurate in terms of identifying the perpetrator or victim. As part of the program, we will work on technologies for determining the ethno–territorial origin of a person," said Vadim Stepanov, Acting Director of the Tomsk Research Institute of Medical Genetics.
As previously reported, Tomsk geneticists have already helped solve a crime in Novosibirsk, where a series of attacks on girls took place. Investigators had the suspect's DNA, but there were no similar samples in the databases of criminologists. Scientists have determined that the person is a native of the Barguzinsky district of Buryatia – this allowed to sharply narrow the search circle and detain the criminal, whose victims were at least nine children.
However, as the head of the Tomsk Research Institute admits, now such forensic work is not productive enough. The institute received about 30 requests, but only in 20% of cases, geneticists managed to establish the region of origin of the criminal, giving investigators important instructions. In about 40% of cases, indications were found for vast regions – the Caucasus, Northern Siberia, Central Asia. In 40% of cases, information useful in the investigation could not be obtained.
"We need to search for new genomic markers with high ethnoterritorial specificity – DNA sites whose variability correlates as much as possible with the nationality and place of origin of a person," Vadim Stepanov continues. "In addition, the markers that Russian geneticists are now relying on are located in the sexual Y chromosome, that is, they allow working only with the genome of male criminals."
To select new, more reliable, informative and gender-independent markers, it will be necessary to collect extensive data on their distribution among different peoples, residents of regions and districts of Russia and Belarus, and, if possible, neighboring states. The program will also study the features of the human genome associated with external signs: some studies have already shown the ability to find out from DNA, for example, the color of eyes or hair – information that can provide invaluable assistance to investigators.
"After the completion of the research and development of the methodology, software products will be created for forensic practitioners," explained the acting director of the Research Institute of Medical Genetics in Tomsk.
Now the concept of the program is being coordinated: it is planned to combine the efforts of the institutes of the FANO, the FMBA, and the Ministry of Health to form a data bank that could be used in the interests of all interested parties. Of the three billion rubles required for the implementation of the five–year program, one third will be taken over by Belarus, the rest by Russia. In the autumn, the project is planned to be submitted to the government for consideration, the start is scheduled for 2016.
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09.07.2015