A blog to spread information and give updates on DNA testing in India for benefit of Medico-legal experts, Doctors, public and Advocates.
06 November, 2011
New DNA test to identify Down syndrome in pregnancy is ready for clinical use
A very useful test to avoid bringing in children and make them live with this problem for rest of their lives. Please spread this blog to your friends.
01 November, 2011
31 October, 2011
18 October, 2011
Five UCSF Scientists Named to Institute of Medicine | www.ucsf.edu
The World needs more of such intelligent people who made human life better.....Can't we get one such person in our 1.25 billion Indians.
Five UCSF Scientists Named to Institute of Medicine | www.ucsf.edu
Five UCSF Scientists Named to Institute of Medicine | www.ucsf.edu
08 October, 2011
Y Chromosome analysis is not useful..........
During Y-STR analyses, genetic abnormalities—such as duplications or deletions—can complicate data interpretation. It is important to keep in mind the possibility of rearrangements involving Y-STRs used in forensic investigations, especially when more than one peak is present in a Y single-copy locus. In fact these alterations could address to a wrong mixed (originated from two or more individuals) DNA profile interpretation. In a routine paternity testing, it was found that a father/son pair with double peaks at two loci. Both these markers are included in a commercially available kit used in forensic genetics. One locus is also included in SWGDAM-recommended Y-STR panel. Moreover, since both these markers map in AZFa region, samples were analyzed to clarify a possible relationship between this Y-STR profile and infertility. For the same reason, two half-brothers involved in a deficiency paternity testing with null allele at DYS448 locus, were analyzed for AZFc region deletions. Since DYS448 null types were already described, these samples were compared with the literature data. A null Y-STR locus should not
represent a problemfor profile interpretation,more than one peak at one or more loci could lead up to a deep misinterpreting of a profile and therefore from which kind of sample the profile come out
represent a problemfor profile interpretation,more than one peak at one or more loci could lead up to a deep misinterpreting of a profile and therefore from which kind of sample the profile come out
05 October, 2011
Statistical Error Leads to Genetics Retraction
This is the level to which scientific data is being published without verification. Wonder how it came to be peer reviewed and recommended for publication.
BioTechniques - Statistical Error Leads to Genetics Retraction
BioTechniques - Statistical Error Leads to Genetics Retraction
17 July, 2011
This is the level to which blame game goes on. Please read the story on the link below and read my comments on the fact of the issue.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/CDFD-to-guide-cops-on-forensic-evidence/articleshow/9252360.cms
MY COMMENTS
This story of CDFD blaming cops of not being able to collect samples is a perfect synonym for the hindi adage "NACHNE NAHI AAYA THO AANGAN THEDA". In fact CDFD forgot that me and NICFS, New Delhi held training programs regularly at NICFS for training Police of all states in sample collection. The manual was already authored by me and is being used by several Police Departments of various states. The so called manual or module is just going to be old wine in new bottle. In fact it is the CDFD which needs to pull up its socks in wake of reports that DNA reports contain typographical errors (as told to the Court by CBI in Aarushi Case) and further not having enough DNA testing expertise to establish identity of the dead bodies in the Mangalore Air Crash (as the family of Naveed Ibrahim Siraj from Udupi , who died in air crash at Bajpe, had refused to take the body of Naveed to their home, saying that the body identified is not of Naveed). Therefore releasing statements once in a way by the CDFD in the media will not add any value to the controversial DNA reports being trashed out by the public. The merit of the DNA testing is to make it stand on the floor of the trial and Apex Courts and not in the media.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/CDFD-to-guide-cops-on-forensic-evidence/articleshow/9252360.cms
MY COMMENTS
This story of CDFD blaming cops of not being able to collect samples is a perfect synonym for the hindi adage "NACHNE NAHI AAYA THO AANGAN THEDA". In fact CDFD forgot that me and NICFS, New Delhi held training programs regularly at NICFS for training Police of all states in sample collection. The manual was already authored by me and is being used by several Police Departments of various states. The so called manual or module is just going to be old wine in new bottle. In fact it is the CDFD which needs to pull up its socks in wake of reports that DNA reports contain typographical errors (as told to the Court by CBI in Aarushi Case) and further not having enough DNA testing expertise to establish identity of the dead bodies in the Mangalore Air Crash (as the family of Naveed Ibrahim Siraj from Udupi , who died in air crash at Bajpe, had refused to take the body of Naveed to their home, saying that the body identified is not of Naveed). Therefore releasing statements once in a way by the CDFD in the media will not add any value to the controversial DNA reports being trashed out by the public. The merit of the DNA testing is to make it stand on the floor of the trial and Apex Courts and not in the media.
16 July, 2011
13 July, 2011
12 July, 2011
US government caught in fake vaccination program harvesting DNA from civilians to target terrorists
US government caught in fake vaccination program harvesting DNA from civilians to target terrorists
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor(NaturalNews) An investigation by The Guardian reveals that CIA agents organized a fake vaccination scheme to harvest DNA from innocent civilians as part of a secret intelligence operation. The scheme was carried out in the town of Abbottabad, where Bin Laden's family was believed to be hiding. And the purpose of the vaccination scheme was to acquire the DNA of Bin Laden family members in order to identify where Bin Laden was hiding (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/201...).
This is the first time the mainstream media has gone public with a story admitting that vaccines are used as weapons of war, and it proves that vaccination programs sometimes have nothing to do with public health at all (and everything to do with killing people, which was the entire purpose of locating Bin Laden).
How could taking DNA samples from civilians help the CIA determine where Bin Laden's family was located? Because they already had DNA samples from Bin Laden's sister who died in Boston in 2010. With that DNA sample in hand, it is a simple matter to determine which other samples are genetically related and then zero in on the desired target.
Vaccines used to covertly harvest DNA without consent
It also shows that vaccinations can be used to harvest DNA without the knowledge of the vaccine recipients. This isn't even new: The U.S. government openly admitted in 2007 that it harvests the DNA of newborn babies and keeps a "DNA database" of nearly all newborns (http://www.prisonplanet.com/newborn...).It's all described in a law called The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bil...) which mandates that blood samples from newborns be harvested in order to extract DNA information which is held by the U.S. government. This is all done without parental consent. Hospitals do this secretly and quietly, not raising any alerts or questions over the practice. Most parents have no idea the blood of their baby is being secretly held by the U.S. government.
But now we see something far worse: The setting up of a fake vaccination drive whose purpose was solely to harvest DNA in order to track the location of an individual slated to be murdered by the U.S. government. According to The Guardian, the CIA agents even launched the fake vaccination scheme in a poor part of town just to make it look real. They also canvassed the town with vaccination posters that encouraged people to go get vaccinated. A Pakistani doctor named Shakil Afridi was reportedly recruited by the CIA to conduct the vaccination campaign, lending it medical authority and invoking the public's trust in doctors to trick them into giving up their DNA as part of a wartime intelligence operation.
This program was conducted in total violation of medical ethics, using a doctor and a fictitious vaccination program to trick people into giving up their DNA -- a blatant violation of human rights as well as international law. This proves that so-called "medicine" can be used as a cover story to conduct illicit government operations with the sole purpose of ending life, not protecting life. Keep that in mind the next time you consider having a needle jabbed in your arm that the government says is "perfectly safe" for you. That's what they told the children in Pakistan, too.
Fake vaccination operations are routinely carried out for a variety of reasons
Fake vaccination pushes have, of course, been routinely conducted in the USA to sell vaccine inventories that the government purchased from vaccine manufacturers. For example, even when the risk of the H5N1 swine flu was extraordinarily low, and when the vaccine itself showed near-zero efficacy in actually preventing infections, the CDC was aggressively promoting vaccination campaigns across the nation in order to get more people to buy vaccines that didn't even work (http://www.naturalnews.com/swine_fl...).There is also strong evidence that vaccine programs are used around the world right now as a way to reduce the population through chemically-induced infertility. Bill Gates, who has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to vaccine programs in developing nations, openly describes vaccines as part of an effort to "lower [the population] by 10 or 15 percent." (http://www.naturalnews.com/029911_v...)
Watch Bill Gates explain this in his own words, in a live audience presentation that's viewable at:
http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=A...
Notice a pattern?
What's really interesting about all the news coming out lately is what we're learning about our own government:• Through operation Fast & Furious, the U.S. government actively armed Mexican drug gangs with thousands of firearms for the purpose of causing gun violence in America (http://www.naturalnews.com/032934_A...). This scam has blown up in the face of U.S. federal officials, and even comedian Jon Stewart exposed the utter ridiculousness of this whole scam in a hilarious comedy bit:
http://www.youtube.com/user/oversig...
• It is now admitted that the U.S. government conducted illegal medical experiments on Guatemalan citizens. President Obama was recently forced to apologize for the inhumane experimentation after the facts surrounding the practice become publicly known (http://www.naturalnews.com/029924_m...). In truth, even Jonas Salk, the famous inventor of the polio vaccine, was actually engaged in illegal medical experiments conducted on mental patients (http://www.naturalnews.com/031564_J...).
• The DEA is well known to actually distribute narcotics as a way to keep enough drugs on the street to justify their own existence. The DEA also routinely ignores state law and conducts armed raids on legal, licensed medical marijuana facilities that are merely providing natural medicine to help ease suffering in patients (http://www.naturalnews.com/021501.html).
• Now through the CIA, the U.S. government faked a city-wide vaccination campaign for the sole purpose of harvesting DNA in order to track down someone they wanted to kill.
How can you trust a government that actively works against you?
So here's the question: How do you know that vaccination campaigns conducted in the USA aren't being used to harvest your DNA for some nefarious purpose? How do you know federal agents aren't working against your interests and causing gun violence in America? How can you trust that vaccines aren't being used for some secret, dark purpose that hasn't been made public yet?The answer is that you can't know for sure whether any vaccination program is actually being conducted for a medical purpose versus some other secret government agenda. The idea that the U.S. government staged fake vaccination programs as an act of war is no longer a bizarre conspiracy theory: It's a documented historical fact! And if they can pull it off in Pakistan, there's no reason why they can't do the same thing in St. Louis, or Sante Fe, or Cleveland.
I do not trust the federal government on anything -- and especially not on anything that matters such as the national debt, the economy, health care or public health services. The government is not primarily a provider of essential services as is widely believed. Rather, it is actively plotting against the American people through one evil campaign after another: The Wall Street bailouts, the mass expansion of money creation that devalues all our hard-earned dollars, the War in Iraq fiasco, the Fast & Furious operation that has unleashed thousands of firearms into the hands of drug gang members, the continued (inexcusable) approval of GMOs by the USDA, the betrayal of U.S. health by the FDA, and on and on. The examples just never end. Time and time again, the U.S. government has proven itself to be aligned against the freedoms, rights and even the good health of the American people.
So the next time your government (CDC, FDA, etc.) tells you to go get vaccinated, think twice about the DNA harvesting operation in Pakistan. Think hard about the true motives of your government, and start asking questions about WHY the population is being so strongly coerced into taking certain actions such as receiving vaccine shots or signing up for mammograms (or psychiatric disorder screening). Virtually every government program that's advertised as being beneficial to you actually has an alternative agenda that seeks to exploit you, entrap you or otherwise trick you into giving up your money, your freedoms or your health.
Big Government doesn't even pretend to serve the People anymore, it turns out. Government agents don't consider themselves servants, but rulers! They demand your obedience and your conformity. They despise truth-tellers who dare to question their corruption. Read the story and watch the incredible video about Jennifer Jones from Quartzsite, Arizona, who was arrested for speaking out at a town hall meeting, exposing the corruption of the city council itself:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/arizona...
See the video, which has been removed from YouTube, here on NaturalNews.TV:
http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=1...
Watch your back. The government isn't watching it for you, folks, and if you don't look out for your own interests, you will very quickly find yourself bankrupt, hospitalized and trapped in a system of modern economic slavery that is specifically designed to make sure you never escape. Wage slaves.
There's a solution to all this, however: Empowerment through education. The more you read here on NaturalNews, the more empowered you become to make your own choices, take charge of your own health and minimize the risk of loss from the coming economic collapse. Stay informed and you'll stay ahead of the game. Be a good citizen, but also be an informed citizen who doesn't fall for the sucker games of the government.
30 June, 2011
09 June, 2011
30 May, 2011
12 May, 2011
08 May, 2011
Statistics and Judicial trials
An issue hotly debated in academic circles, but treated as little more than disdain by most judges, has been the extent to which mathematics can inform the trial process. An extreme level, the courts to accept mathematical evidence pointing to the design inference. Fingerprints and DNA evidence, for example, a powerful only because those who give it also tell the court, in mathematical language, that the odds of anyone else having the same principal DNA material are almost impetus similarly small. The question which seems to arises is whether it is rational not to act on such evidence.
Judicial skepticism of attempts to quantify the probabilities in a given case has often been justified. In some cases, the statistics are obviously been phoning. The prosecution in the case of Capt Dreyfus in 1899 claimed a remarkable incidence of similarities between Capt Dreyfus' handwriting and the letters to the Germans which the prosecution alleged and the defense denied were written by the same hand. In fact, the number of similarities were statistically insignificant. There are often good reasons to be dubious statistical evidence. One can rarely be assured of its correctness, let alone its applicability to the case in hand. And it is almost impossible to imagine a case in which all the odds can be precisely calculate it. How, for example, the character led the odds of a witness lied? But even excepting the limited place for mathematics in assisting quantification of the odds for or against proposition with any precision, the fact is that we do occasionally decide issues, or test the appropriateness of a tentative decision, by reference to vague notions of the chances for or against an innocent connection between the party and a proven fact.
Judicial skepticism of attempts to quantify the probabilities in a given case has often been justified. In some cases, the statistics are obviously been phoning. The prosecution in the case of Capt Dreyfus in 1899 claimed a remarkable incidence of similarities between Capt Dreyfus' handwriting and the letters to the Germans which the prosecution alleged and the defense denied were written by the same hand. In fact, the number of similarities were statistically insignificant. There are often good reasons to be dubious statistical evidence. One can rarely be assured of its correctness, let alone its applicability to the case in hand. And it is almost impossible to imagine a case in which all the odds can be precisely calculate it. How, for example, the character led the odds of a witness lied? But even excepting the limited place for mathematics in assisting quantification of the odds for or against proposition with any precision, the fact is that we do occasionally decide issues, or test the appropriateness of a tentative decision, by reference to vague notions of the chances for or against an innocent connection between the party and a proven fact.
04 May, 2011
How DNA analysis confirmed Osama bin Laden’s death ?
Though the world''s most wanted man Osama bin Laden was killed during a raid on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on 2 May, his body was identified after a series of investigation.
According to the US Government, his death was confirmed by comparison to photographs, confirmation from one of his wives at the compound, facial-recognition software, and - the gold standard for identification - DNA analysis, reports New Scientist.
John Brennan, assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, said the DNA evidence provided a match with "99.9 per cent confidence".
That would require the comparison of DNA from the body with that of people known to be related to bin Laden. Bin Laden had no full siblings, but more than 50 half-siblings and up to 24 children.
Using DNA from many half-siblings could produce a DNA match of greater than 90 per cent confidence, but it would be difficult to get as high as 99.9 per cent without a closer relative said Rhonda Roby, a forensic geneticist at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth.
Roby, who led the team using DNA evidence to identify the remains of people killed in the 9/11 attacks in 2001, said that the statistical analysis based on DNA from half-siblings is more complex and less reliable than analysis based on DNA from a closer relative like a parent or child.
Reports indicated that one of bin Laden''s sons was also killed in the raid, possibly 20-year-old Hamza bin Laden.
Roby said DNA from a son and several half-siblings could confirm Osama''s identity with 99.9 per cent accuracy.
If, however, the government was able to obtain DNA from bin Laden''s body, his son and also that son''s biological mother - who might have been at the compound during the raid, it could perform DNA profiling with a "full paternity trio", assuring 99.9 per cent accuracy, she added.
According to the US Government, his death was confirmed by comparison to photographs, confirmation from one of his wives at the compound, facial-recognition software, and - the gold standard for identification - DNA analysis, reports New Scientist.
John Brennan, assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, said the DNA evidence provided a match with "99.9 per cent confidence".
That would require the comparison of DNA from the body with that of people known to be related to bin Laden. Bin Laden had no full siblings, but more than 50 half-siblings and up to 24 children.
Using DNA from many half-siblings could produce a DNA match of greater than 90 per cent confidence, but it would be difficult to get as high as 99.9 per cent without a closer relative said Rhonda Roby, a forensic geneticist at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth.
Roby, who led the team using DNA evidence to identify the remains of people killed in the 9/11 attacks in 2001, said that the statistical analysis based on DNA from half-siblings is more complex and less reliable than analysis based on DNA from a closer relative like a parent or child.
Reports indicated that one of bin Laden''s sons was also killed in the raid, possibly 20-year-old Hamza bin Laden.
Roby said DNA from a son and several half-siblings could confirm Osama''s identity with 99.9 per cent accuracy.
If, however, the government was able to obtain DNA from bin Laden''s body, his son and also that son''s biological mother - who might have been at the compound during the raid, it could perform DNA profiling with a "full paternity trio", assuring 99.9 per cent accuracy, she added.
06 April, 2011
DNA and Hair Color
Originally Posted in DNA, High Tech Forensics by D.P. Lyle, MD on April 3, 2011 and re-posted here with kind permission of Dr D P Lyle.
DNA is one of the most important criminal investigative tools ever discovered. It identifies an individual with virtually 100% certainty. If someone leaves blood, semen, saliva, or some other bodily fluid at a crime scene and if it is found good condition, DNA extracted from the sample can accurately tie that person to the scene. Doesn’t mean he’s guilty just that he left DNA there. Something he’ll need to explain.
But what if there is no suspect? What if the person who left the sample is completely unknown as often happens, particularly with serial predators. These “stranger murders” are often the most difficult ones to solve because there is no apparent “connection” between the murderer and the victim.
This means that any descriptive evidence that can be obtained regarding potential suspects is of paramount importance. If someone witnessed a particular person running in the distance or a particular type of car cruising the neighborhood or a particular type of clothing is left behind, then these can be added to the offender profile and help narrow the search. This is one of the important elements of the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP). Through this program violent crimes committed by unknown perpetrators are uploaded into databases. If multiple crimes perpetrated in various parts of the country have similar characteristics then the linkage of these crimes can often build a more firm description of any possible perpetrators.
For example, what if a murder in Florida had certain characteristics (method of murder, weapon used, method of body disposal, etc.) and similar characteristics were found in a murder in New Jersey? What if in Florida someone had seen the perpetrator from a distance and judged him to be a tall thin male while in New Jersey someone saw a black van leaving the scene? If these two crimes were never linked then police in both areas would not know that they were looking for a tall thin male who drove a black van. And so on. The more evidence that can be accumulated regarding serial crimes the better a description of possible perpetrators can be constructed.
Now it seems that hair color can be obtained from DNA. So a perpetrator who leaves behind a drop of blood might also leave behind evidence of his hair color. It seems that red hair and black hair can be determined with an accuracy of approximately 90% while brown and blond hair can be determined approximately 80% of the time. This is critical information in formulating a profile of the killer.
Of course if the killer has changed is or her hair color, this evidence could prove misleading.
DNA is one of the most important criminal investigative tools ever discovered. It identifies an individual with virtually 100% certainty. If someone leaves blood, semen, saliva, or some other bodily fluid at a crime scene and if it is found good condition, DNA extracted from the sample can accurately tie that person to the scene. Doesn’t mean he’s guilty just that he left DNA there. Something he’ll need to explain.
But what if there is no suspect? What if the person who left the sample is completely unknown as often happens, particularly with serial predators. These “stranger murders” are often the most difficult ones to solve because there is no apparent “connection” between the murderer and the victim.
This means that any descriptive evidence that can be obtained regarding potential suspects is of paramount importance. If someone witnessed a particular person running in the distance or a particular type of car cruising the neighborhood or a particular type of clothing is left behind, then these can be added to the offender profile and help narrow the search. This is one of the important elements of the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP). Through this program violent crimes committed by unknown perpetrators are uploaded into databases. If multiple crimes perpetrated in various parts of the country have similar characteristics then the linkage of these crimes can often build a more firm description of any possible perpetrators.
For example, what if a murder in Florida had certain characteristics (method of murder, weapon used, method of body disposal, etc.) and similar characteristics were found in a murder in New Jersey? What if in Florida someone had seen the perpetrator from a distance and judged him to be a tall thin male while in New Jersey someone saw a black van leaving the scene? If these two crimes were never linked then police in both areas would not know that they were looking for a tall thin male who drove a black van. And so on. The more evidence that can be accumulated regarding serial crimes the better a description of possible perpetrators can be constructed.
Now it seems that hair color can be obtained from DNA. So a perpetrator who leaves behind a drop of blood might also leave behind evidence of his hair color. It seems that red hair and black hair can be determined with an accuracy of approximately 90% while brown and blond hair can be determined approximately 80% of the time. This is critical information in formulating a profile of the killer.
Of course if the killer has changed is or her hair color, this evidence could prove misleading.
30 March, 2011
DNA Fingerprinting and Wildlife Forensics
An important goal of the conservation management programs in Wildlife of the critically endangered species is the determination of parentage and levels of genetic diversity within the remaining population. Such determination is possible, with high rate of success, is by use of DNA based methods. Every living life form on earth contains the most basic building blocks of life – the Deoxyribonucleic Acid or DNA, which provides them their biological identity either as an individual, a species or a population as well as their geographical origin and evolutionary history. Using the understanding of DNA science, coupled with the presence of efficient molecular techniques to examine information in DNA markers (segments of DNA in the genome of organisms that reveal variations), biological information can be tapped, revealing otherwise unreachable information at all levels of life. Furthermore, with the support of specific statistical tools and bioinformatics to analyse DNA data, inferences about the biology of organisms can be done, thus providing essential details for evolutionary, population and conservation biology.
Wildlife forensics is a relatively new method for law enforcement around the world and has not yet caught up the attention of Indian wildlife experts. It uses the same principles as human forensics, with a few modifications. The difference is that wildlife forensics needs to be able to identify and distinguish between a variety of species, whereas human forensics is concerned with just one species – Homo sapiens. The advent and application DNA fingerprinting (in the mid 1980’s) has been essential for both wildlife and human forensics.
The aim of wildlife forensics is to provide information for the conclusive identification of the animal carcass, for conviction of offenders, and hopefully deter these acts. It is also active in various molecular genetic research aiding wildlife management and conservation.
DNA fingerprinting allows for the identification of an individual or species. DNA sample sizes may be too small, so DNA amplification techniques may be applied. This involves the amplification of the small amount of DNA wherein in a short period of time the amount of DNA is greatly amplified. DNA fingerprinting allows the questioned wildlife sample can be confirmed with a match to the standard sample maintained in the laboratory.
DNA fingerprinting is useful in Wildlife management in several ways including;
• individual identification for matching tissue samples from an illegal kill site to samples associated with suspect.
• species identification of unknown tissue samples involved in illegal commercialization and poaching
• includes identification of mixed game products - packed meats
• sex identification to enforce the violations of the wildlife acts
• parentage analysis for captive breeding programs
• applying a non-invasive DNA sexing method (through the use of feathers) on birds. For the success of breeding efforts {as birds of both sexes do not show any distinct differences in their external morphology (sexual dimorphism) at their juvenile stage as well as at their adult stage}.
The law requires that guilt of an accused under Wildlife protection acts be established beyond a reasonable doubt. To do this, the prosecution needs either eyewitness testimony or physical evidence. The Wildlife laboratories can provide this physical evidence and serious violations of wildlife laws can be investigated and prosecuted. The U.S. has a national lab, and Canada has various labs across the country and India has none except for a research lab – LaCones at Hyderabad. One of the longest running ones is The Wildlife Forensics DNA Laboratory at Trent University in Ontario, Canada. It was the first lab to produce DNA evidence to be accepted into a North American court involving a wildlife violation. In India the most important case to have caught the attention of Wildlife experts was the Salman Khan Black Buck case wherein I had conclusively proved that the carcass exhumed after postmortem was indeed a black buck and not a deer as some assumed it to be. Now the US handles over 50 cases a year, providing convictions with fines, whereas in India it is a dismal 2 cases per year with cases still being under trial.
There is a need to conduct more molecular genetics research for wildlife management and conservation. The question many of you may ask is what is the use of Genetic Consequences? Or what connection does wildlife forensics have with conservation and genetics? Well at the out set it gives you direction in possible increase in population size with a decrease in animals hunted, increase population size, decrease possibility of inbreeding, increase heterozygosity and in turn, increase fitness. Current research on the population structure of a highly endangered local freshwater crocodile (Tomistoma schlegelii) using DNA based methods to infer bio-geographical distribution of the species range within Malaysia and South East Asia is yielding important results.
A Forensic wildlife laboratory will also receive analysis costs from other organizations and research grants. It then provides information that can aid in the prosecution of an offender, who then pays a fine to the government. Further, in the future, similar techniques that are used in the human genome project could be transferred to wildlife forensics, and automation will be the key. Studies of populations using past genetic information and comparing it to present and future genetic information with the assistance of DNA databases could provide knowledge any genetic impact of wildlife forensics. It is important to note that other aspects could also affect the outcome, and these need to be taken into consideration when drawing inferences. Therefore the need of the hour is that all the Officers of the Indian Forest Service and Conservators of Forests should unite to demand for Forensic Wildlife Laboratories to meet the requirement for better Wildlife conservation.
Wildlife forensics is a relatively new method for law enforcement around the world and has not yet caught up the attention of Indian wildlife experts. It uses the same principles as human forensics, with a few modifications. The difference is that wildlife forensics needs to be able to identify and distinguish between a variety of species, whereas human forensics is concerned with just one species – Homo sapiens. The advent and application DNA fingerprinting (in the mid 1980’s) has been essential for both wildlife and human forensics.
The aim of wildlife forensics is to provide information for the conclusive identification of the animal carcass, for conviction of offenders, and hopefully deter these acts. It is also active in various molecular genetic research aiding wildlife management and conservation.
DNA fingerprinting allows for the identification of an individual or species. DNA sample sizes may be too small, so DNA amplification techniques may be applied. This involves the amplification of the small amount of DNA wherein in a short period of time the amount of DNA is greatly amplified. DNA fingerprinting allows the questioned wildlife sample can be confirmed with a match to the standard sample maintained in the laboratory.
DNA fingerprinting is useful in Wildlife management in several ways including;
• individual identification for matching tissue samples from an illegal kill site to samples associated with suspect.
• species identification of unknown tissue samples involved in illegal commercialization and poaching
• includes identification of mixed game products - packed meats
• sex identification to enforce the violations of the wildlife acts
• parentage analysis for captive breeding programs
• applying a non-invasive DNA sexing method (through the use of feathers) on birds. For the success of breeding efforts {as birds of both sexes do not show any distinct differences in their external morphology (sexual dimorphism) at their juvenile stage as well as at their adult stage}.
The law requires that guilt of an accused under Wildlife protection acts be established beyond a reasonable doubt. To do this, the prosecution needs either eyewitness testimony or physical evidence. The Wildlife laboratories can provide this physical evidence and serious violations of wildlife laws can be investigated and prosecuted. The U.S. has a national lab, and Canada has various labs across the country and India has none except for a research lab – LaCones at Hyderabad. One of the longest running ones is The Wildlife Forensics DNA Laboratory at Trent University in Ontario, Canada. It was the first lab to produce DNA evidence to be accepted into a North American court involving a wildlife violation. In India the most important case to have caught the attention of Wildlife experts was the Salman Khan Black Buck case wherein I had conclusively proved that the carcass exhumed after postmortem was indeed a black buck and not a deer as some assumed it to be. Now the US handles over 50 cases a year, providing convictions with fines, whereas in India it is a dismal 2 cases per year with cases still being under trial.
There is a need to conduct more molecular genetics research for wildlife management and conservation. The question many of you may ask is what is the use of Genetic Consequences? Or what connection does wildlife forensics have with conservation and genetics? Well at the out set it gives you direction in possible increase in population size with a decrease in animals hunted, increase population size, decrease possibility of inbreeding, increase heterozygosity and in turn, increase fitness. Current research on the population structure of a highly endangered local freshwater crocodile (Tomistoma schlegelii) using DNA based methods to infer bio-geographical distribution of the species range within Malaysia and South East Asia is yielding important results.
A Forensic wildlife laboratory will also receive analysis costs from other organizations and research grants. It then provides information that can aid in the prosecution of an offender, who then pays a fine to the government. Further, in the future, similar techniques that are used in the human genome project could be transferred to wildlife forensics, and automation will be the key. Studies of populations using past genetic information and comparing it to present and future genetic information with the assistance of DNA databases could provide knowledge any genetic impact of wildlife forensics. It is important to note that other aspects could also affect the outcome, and these need to be taken into consideration when drawing inferences. Therefore the need of the hour is that all the Officers of the Indian Forest Service and Conservators of Forests should unite to demand for Forensic Wildlife Laboratories to meet the requirement for better Wildlife conservation.
08 February, 2011
How long can Investigations fail for lack of expertise
Its been a year since an innocent child, Naga Vaishnavi, was supposedly killed and body burnt in a furnace in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. This was a sensation in February 2010 and the then Government of Andhra Pradesh went all out to arrest the culprits and jail them. The Hon'ble Home Minister too promised a Fast Track Trial in the case. Recent news was that the possibility of the case ending on a better note is doubtful since the charred remains of a body recovered from the furnace could not be conclusively established by DNA experts as that of the deceased child Vaishnavi. This, if true, is really sad since DNA technology is available to identify victims even if their bodies have got burnt beyond recognition. Police in Surrey UK, have identified the charred remains found in a Surrey ravine in November 2010 as those of 34-year-old Tara Lynn Westgarde. It makes us only wonder that if they can do why can't we? Frankly we can do better but our system of Governance does not allow it to happen.
We can't help drawing comparisons between Aarushi case and this Naga Vaishnavi case since both cases suffer from a common reason and that is 'lack of expertise' on part of prosecution experts. The experts need to realise that their lack of interest in their profession and disinclination to upgrade their working knowledge to the latest developments in the DNA field hampers investigations and lead to dismissal of prosecution of a true case against an accused person. Such developments leads to two fold disadvantage to the society at large. Firstly a criminal gets scot free and a potential killer is let off with a license to commit more heinous crimes on innocents. Secondly the confidence of the relatives of the victims on the Criminal Justice System and law of the land gets eroded due to such closure of the case to the benefit of the accused. Worse can also happen when Police investigating a Crime case may not collect evidence due to their lack of confidence on the DNA experts to give a conclusive evidence.
The expert's duty should be beyond fear or favor. Their are lessons which we need to learn from the 9/11 attack in New York. The attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 challenged the then current approaches to forensic DNA typing methods. The large number of victims and the extreme thermal and physical conditions of the site necessitated special approaches to the DNA-based identification. Because of these and many additional challenges, new procedures were created or modified from routine forensic protocols. This effort facilitated the identification of 1594 of the 2749 victims. I have always campaigned that in case we cannot develop something new, their is nothing wrong to adopt available technologies, after following due procedure, to reach to a conclusion. However the recent happenings so early this year of 2011 has made so called DNA experts to submit their less than helpful DNA reports without working much on polishing their DNA technologies to help the cases. This kind of approach on part of our DNA experts also points out to their lack of skills and expertise as otherwise a simple search of literature with such advanced technology being available in today's world with respect to searching and retrieving of information can solve so many problems. The DNA world today is boosted by statistical and technological advances such as DNA microarray sequencing, TFT biosensors, machine learning algorithms, in particular Bayesian networks, which provide an effective way of evidence organization and inference.
My call is that those experts processing such cases must consider the way in which to approach the analysis, and then carefully extract and organize samples accordingly, before they decide to give in their report which should benefit the Trier of Justice i.e., the Hon'ble Trial Court Judge. Yesterday it was Aarushi and today it is that of Naga Vaishnavi and tomorrow it could be of someone who is dear to any of us who may disappear from the memory of this World without getting due Justice. We should brace ourselves up so that this should not keep happening again and again and its time to rejuvenate the Forensic DNA System and we cannot allow such lack of expertise of the experts to hamper Criminal Case investigations.
We can't help drawing comparisons between Aarushi case and this Naga Vaishnavi case since both cases suffer from a common reason and that is 'lack of expertise' on part of prosecution experts. The experts need to realise that their lack of interest in their profession and disinclination to upgrade their working knowledge to the latest developments in the DNA field hampers investigations and lead to dismissal of prosecution of a true case against an accused person. Such developments leads to two fold disadvantage to the society at large. Firstly a criminal gets scot free and a potential killer is let off with a license to commit more heinous crimes on innocents. Secondly the confidence of the relatives of the victims on the Criminal Justice System and law of the land gets eroded due to such closure of the case to the benefit of the accused. Worse can also happen when Police investigating a Crime case may not collect evidence due to their lack of confidence on the DNA experts to give a conclusive evidence.
The expert's duty should be beyond fear or favor. Their are lessons which we need to learn from the 9/11 attack in New York. The attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 challenged the then current approaches to forensic DNA typing methods. The large number of victims and the extreme thermal and physical conditions of the site necessitated special approaches to the DNA-based identification. Because of these and many additional challenges, new procedures were created or modified from routine forensic protocols. This effort facilitated the identification of 1594 of the 2749 victims. I have always campaigned that in case we cannot develop something new, their is nothing wrong to adopt available technologies, after following due procedure, to reach to a conclusion. However the recent happenings so early this year of 2011 has made so called DNA experts to submit their less than helpful DNA reports without working much on polishing their DNA technologies to help the cases. This kind of approach on part of our DNA experts also points out to their lack of skills and expertise as otherwise a simple search of literature with such advanced technology being available in today's world with respect to searching and retrieving of information can solve so many problems. The DNA world today is boosted by statistical and technological advances such as DNA microarray sequencing, TFT biosensors, machine learning algorithms, in particular Bayesian networks, which provide an effective way of evidence organization and inference.
My call is that those experts processing such cases must consider the way in which to approach the analysis, and then carefully extract and organize samples accordingly, before they decide to give in their report which should benefit the Trier of Justice i.e., the Hon'ble Trial Court Judge. Yesterday it was Aarushi and today it is that of Naga Vaishnavi and tomorrow it could be of someone who is dear to any of us who may disappear from the memory of this World without getting due Justice. We should brace ourselves up so that this should not keep happening again and again and its time to rejuvenate the Forensic DNA System and we cannot allow such lack of expertise of the experts to hamper Criminal Case investigations.
10 January, 2011
DNA experts failed Aarushi and misled the CBI
This blog comes after convincing myself, that inappropriate advice and lack of direction from so-called DNA experts of the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics or CDFD, Hyderabad has led CBI to get placed in such difficult state of affairs in the Aarushi Case. The foremost point of consideration is that the so-called experts were not experienced enough in Forensic DNA testing, but are qualified in Microbiology and Silk Worm Genetics and they do not possess any Forensic Science qualifications. (Read about their expertise at the link: http://cdfd.org.in/inside htmls/staff.html).Simply they are not aware that mixtures of DNA contamination need to be handled by experienced experts and not by any scientist just because he has read genetics. The CBI was grossly misled by the CDFD to believe that “TOUCH DNA TEST” would not be useful in coming to a conclusion. How did the CDFD realise that the samples in the Aarushi case were contaminated without actually testing the crime scene samples. It only goes to show that DNA experts just issued statements like politicians and walked away with it. Therefore CDFD to hide its inability to handle the case further misled CBI to believe that TOUCH DNA TEST would not yield results. The CDFD failed to update its knowledge and infrastructure in DNA Testing which could have helped to generate evidence in the Aarushi Case. I put forth an open challenge to DNA experts to an open debate on this subject because I am sure of my expertise and since I have used Touch DNA test before and its results were upheld by the Hon'ble Apex Court too.
Media reports regarding DNA tests done at Hyderabad reads "The CBI claim comes even as preliminary reports from Hyderabad's Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, according to sources, suggested that identifying whose blood was on the T-shirt may or may not be possible. Doubts stem from the opinion of experts that separating DNA fingerprints from garment after so many days is not always possible, because red blood cells on the cloth start disintegrating".
(Read more at :The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/CBI-still-has-no-real-proof-in-Aarushi-case/articleshow/3251910.cms#ixzz1Ac9uNYBl)
Nothing can be more unintelligent than this. The whole world knows and even a Middle school child knows today, that DNA can be isolated from extinct Dinosaur fossils which are more than 50 million year old. And our 'EXPERTS' say that 2 month old stain does not yield intact DNA.
In this regard, I request that some investigating authority within the CBI to peruse the case files pertaining to Magunta Subbarami Reddy murder case of Ongole wherein I, as a DNA expert had given a conclusive report by similar testing in 1990’s, despite the samples being contaminated by other human samples. The strong evidence was upheld by the Hon'ble Supreme Court as well, and the accused were sentenced for life.
What CBI did not realise was that different levels of experience and training plays a part in effective mixture interpretation and it is very Scientist specific and frankly CDFD does not have it. Untalented and inexperienced Scientists of India have failed Aarushi. May her soul rest in peace.
Media reports regarding DNA tests done at Hyderabad reads "The CBI claim comes even as preliminary reports from Hyderabad's Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, according to sources, suggested that identifying whose blood was on the T-shirt may or may not be possible. Doubts stem from the opinion of experts that separating DNA fingerprints from garment after so many days is not always possible, because red blood cells on the cloth start disintegrating".
(Read more at :The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/CBI-still-has-no-real-proof-in-Aarushi-case/articleshow/3251910.cms#ixzz1Ac9uNYBl)
Nothing can be more unintelligent than this. The whole world knows and even a Middle school child knows today, that DNA can be isolated from extinct Dinosaur fossils which are more than 50 million year old. And our 'EXPERTS' say that 2 month old stain does not yield intact DNA.
In this regard, I request that some investigating authority within the CBI to peruse the case files pertaining to Magunta Subbarami Reddy murder case of Ongole wherein I, as a DNA expert had given a conclusive report by similar testing in 1990’s, despite the samples being contaminated by other human samples. The strong evidence was upheld by the Hon'ble Supreme Court as well, and the accused were sentenced for life.
What CBI did not realise was that different levels of experience and training plays a part in effective mixture interpretation and it is very Scientist specific and frankly CDFD does not have it. Untalented and inexperienced Scientists of India have failed Aarushi. May her soul rest in peace.
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