FEATURE New Genome Technology
for a challenging bioinformatics situation akin to as- sembling a very large jigsaw puzzle where some of the pieces are wrong.
to bioinformatics analysis of the sequences. Traditional bioinformatics algorithms were poorly equipped to
handle key features of NGS data: very large data sets, non-trivial error rates, and extensive fragmentation of the sequenced DNA into short segments that are reported in no particular order. Enormous numbers of randomly ordered short reads containing errors make
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The solution has come in the form of computation- ally efficient algorithms that are robust to the new data features. An avalanche of new algorithms has become available, with more being published every month. Tomorrow’s technology will rely upon a class of algorithms that eschew the traditional se- quence-analysis strategies and instead approach the analysis of DNA sequences as a signal-processing problem. The benefits are vast increases in speed along with higher stringency of results, and a less mysterious and more approachable bioinformatics process for forensic DNA analysts to use. Due to the technology’s affordability and ease of use, ExactID has already sparked the interest of a number of local law enforcement agencies. After a showcase at the International Symposium of Human Identifi cation (ISHI) conference in the fall of 2014, law enforcement offi cials and forensic analysts from across the country immediately drew connections to how this technology can benefi t their work. Expanding the power of DNA test- ing is crucial to the future of law enforcement and crime scene inves- tigations, and the National Institute of Justice has taken notice. The grant was part of a strategic roadmap that will explore and increase the capabili- ties of DNA found at crime scenes. As we learn more about next-gen- eration sequencing, it’s important that our country’s law enforcement agencies are able to utilize this revo- lutionary technology to better catch criminals and eliminate threats to public safety. Thanks to the NIJ’s forward-thinking grant, the DNA in- formation unlocked from next-gener- ation sequencing has the real ability to benefit law enforcement—even at the local level. With ExactID, local agencies can now analyze forensic data and identify suspects faster, more accurately, and more cost-ef- fectively—in turn, improving public safety for all.
Rich Guerrieri, Research Leader for Battelle’s Applied Genomics business unit. Guerrieri has more than 30 years of forensic laboratory experience, including nearly 20 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Army Criminal Investigative Laboratory.
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www.lawandordermag.com 58 LAW and ORDER I January 2016
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