SBIR Phase II: Method for Genetic Detection Using Interspersed Genetic Elements

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将进一步开发用于法医DNA测试的下一代DNA测试试剂盒。在过去的20年里，DNA分析有了很大的发展，通常被用来解决犯罪问题。尽管DNA测试技术和设备有所改进，但由于DNA过度降解，大量调查生物样本无法得出有价值的结果。 由于目前的技术限制，大量犯罪现场和大规模灾害样本仍然无法产生有用的特征。该研究项目利用专有的引物设计方法来分析大量降解的DNA样品。这一项目还将有助于对人类及其祖先的基本了解，如果成功，这一拟议项目将产生更广泛的影响/商业潜力，使社会能够获得以前由于现有技术的限制而无法获得的身份识别问题的答案。这项技术的发展可以预期的一些好处包括：使用下一代DNA测试解决更多的犯罪，包括以前由于样本过度退化而无法测试的案件;协助解决失踪人员案件;为9/11恐怖袭击等大规模灾难受害者的家庭提供关闭，卡特里娜飓风以及辨认在外国土地上丧生的士兵遗骸;为寻求有关其家谱资料的个人提供祖先来源资料;提供可用于国家安全、军事和战斗中努力的强大情报工具;为人类学的教育和研究提供资料。 总的来说，这种变革性技术的商业影响及其对社会的积极贡献是不可估量的。

This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II project will further develop the next-generation DNA test kits for forensic DNA testing. DNA profiling has developed significantly over the past 20 years and is routinely used to solve crime. Despite improvements in DNA testing technologies and equipment, a significant number of investigative biological samples do not yield informative results, due to excessive degradation of DNA. A significant number of crime scene and mass disaster samples are still unable to produce useful profiles due to current technology limitations. This research project utilizes a proprietary primer design approach in to analyze a significant number of degraded DNA samples. This project will also contribute to a basic understanding of human populations and their ancestral origins.The broader impact/commercial potential of this proposed project, if successful, will allow society to obtain answers to identification questions that could not previously be obtained, due to the limitations of current technology. Some of the benefits that can be expected from the development of this technology include: Solving more crimes using next generation DNA tests, including cases that were previously not testable, due to excessively degraded samples; assisting in the resolution of missing persons cases; provide closure to families of mass disaster victims such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina as well as identifying human remains of soldiers who lost their lives on foreign soil; provide ancestral origin information for individuals seeking information regarding their genealogy; provide a powerful intelligence tool that can be used for national security, military and in-combat efforts; and provide data for the educational and research studies of human anthropology. Overall, the resulting commercial impact of this transformational technology and the positive contribution it will have to society is immeasurable.