Automated processing of sexual assault samples to enable rapid DNA analysis

在NSERC联盟的这项提案中，安大略省法医科学中心(CFS)、Ande和多伦多大学的惠勒研究小组合作，探索开发用于处理性侵犯样本的下一代自动法医DNA分型系统。我们是实施这一项目的理想团队，因为CFS是加拿大最大的法医科学研究所，协调在该省及其他地区实地法医分析工具的部署，Ande是快速DNA分析系统制造和销售的全球领先者，该系统正在全球被用于刑事调查、失踪人口、性犯罪、边境安全和灾难受害者识别的使用案例，惠勒集团在使用为该提案设想的两种技术-数字微流控(DMF)和光电镊子(OET)-自动化复杂的、多步骤的样本处理程序方面有着长期的记录。我们建议开发两个新的自动化系统，以弥合阻碍性侵犯样本自动分析的关键空白。第一个系统将自动使用DMF对“典型”的性侵犯样本进行差异化提取；第二个系统将自动执行OET驱动的细胞分选技术，从降解的样本中提取少量精子细胞(如今，这些细胞通常无法检测)。如果成功，这些系统应该可以在接近需要的地方(在医院和警察局)操作，如果广泛传播，将大大减少分析性侵犯所需的时间。因此，这个项目不仅仅是一个标准的“产业界-学术界”合作(由NSERC“选项1”联盟资助的那种)。该项目有可能在加拿大产生深刻和广泛的社会影响，使其适合于联盟赠款的独特“备选方案2”机制。

In this NSERC Alliance proposal, The Ontario Centre for Forensic Sciences (CFS), ANDE, and the Wheeler research group at the University of Toronto have come together to explore the development of next-generation automated forensic DNA typing systems for processing sexual assault samples. We are an ideal team to pursue this project, as CFS is the largest forensic science institute in Canada and coordinates the deployment of tools for forensic analysis on the ground in the province and beyond, ANDE is the global leader in the manufacture and sales of Rapid DNA Analysis systems, which are being leveraged around the globe in use cases spanning criminal investigations, missing persons, sex crimes, border security and disaster victim identification, and the Wheeler group has a long track record in automating intricate, multi-step sample processing procedures using the two techniques envisioned for the proposal, digital microfluidics (DMF) and optoelectronic tweezers (OET). We propose to develop two new automated system that will bridge critical gaps that stand in the way of automated analysis of sexual assault samples. The first system will automate differential extraction using DMF for "typical" sexual assault samples; the second will automate an OET-driven cell sorting technique to extract small numbers of sperm cells from degraded samples (that are, today, often not testable). If successful, these systems should be operable close to the point of need (in hospitals and police stations), which, if distributed widely, would dramatically reducing the time required for analysis of sexual assaults. Thus, this project is much more than a standard "industry-academia" collaboration (of the sort that is funded by NSERC "option 1" Alliance grants). This project has the potential to result in deep and widely experienced societal impact in Canada, making it appropriate for the unique "option 2" mechanism of Alliance grants.