Scientists propose database of volunteers for forensic research



A campaign to support Forensic Science Research is gathering pace with a proposal to establish a national sample volunteer service for the UK.

The proposal from Liverpool John Moores University has growing support from researchers in public and private institutes who find it challenging to recruit volunteers to studies which require personal and/or intimate samples.

Dr Nick Dawnay, a reader in LJMU’s Forensic Research Institute, and an expert in forensic DNA testing, said: “When you look at forensic science and how transformative it can be for society, it’s important that we try and do the best science we can.

“We currently struggle to recruit large numbers of participants for studies, which means it’s hard to develop new scientific methods with confidence.

This affects our ability to inform and educate both the criminal justice system and the public at large.”

'We donate blood!"

He is among those who believe a national system to coordinate volunteers would both help research outcomes and raise the profile of public participation in the name of science. 

“Everyone understands the altruistic nature of donating blood to the NHS for possible life saving transfusions. However, less is known about the urgent need for people to donate blood and other bodily fluids for criminal justice,” added Dr Dawnay, who is spearheading the initiative.

The proposal comes with support from the Forensic Science Regulator and the Forensic Capability Network, the main forensic support network to the police.

The creation of a database of volunteers at a national level can contribute towards reassuring both donors and the scientific community of the validity and availability of samples.

Public trust

Public trust is central to the campaign and a questionnaire exploring people’s perceptions about the provision of specific sample types from volunteers is being launched at a number of UK HEIs.

Under this proposal, individuals can specify what type of samples they may be happy to provide to support forensic research and also express an interest in volunteering.

“Everyone understands the altruistic nature of donating blood to the NHS for possible life saving transfusions. However, less is known about the urgent need for people to donate blood and other bodily fluids for criminal justice"

Laboratories require a broad range of samples, from simple mouth or skin surface swabs to more complicated samples, such as intimate post-coital swabs needed to support research into sexual assaults.

Among beneficiaries of more coordinated sample-donations would be the UKRI funded SCAnDi project* which is developing new techniques to create DNA profiles from single cells traced from the crime scene.

Dr Iain Macaulay (SCAnDi project lead) from the Earlham Institute said: “Access to relevant samples is a major challenge for researchers aiming to develop new approaches for forensic analysis – the development of a national resource addressing this challenge will provide the foundations for fundamental and translational research, as well as building networks and capacity for forensic research within the UK bioscience community”.  

Justice depends on it

Gary Pugh, the UK Forensic Science Regulator said: “The criminal justice system relies on high quality forensic science evidence, this is an important initiative that will enable researchers and scientists to conduct ground-breaking research to develop new techniques and conduct studies that will underpin the interpretation of forensic results.”.

Forensic Capability Network Managing Director John Armstrong said: “This work is highly relevant to police forensics in general and will bring benefits and greater understanding in areas of biological analysis that are often used in police forensic investigations, particularly those relating to DNA, body fluids and also in relation to drug facilitated sexual assault and Violence Against Women & Girls, which are high policing priorities”.

*Read more about the work of the Scandi consortium, which is funded by the ESRC, part of UKRI. SCAnDi stands for Single-cell and single molecule analysis for DNA identification and involves Liverpool John Moores University, the James Hutton Institute, University of Edinburgh, University of Portsmouth, University of Derby and Edge Hill University.

https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/news/articles/2024/1/23/singlecell-identification

 

 



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