U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Funding & Awards
 Development of PCR-Free DNA Typing Strategies via Real-Time High Throughput Sequencing
Award Information
Awardee
              University of North Texas Health Science Center
Award #
              2015-DN-BX-K068
Funding Category
              Competitive
Location
                    Fort Worth, TX
Awardee County
              Tarrant
Congressional District
              12
Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2015
Total funding (to date)
              $719,633
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY 15 Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2015, $719,633)
As submitted by the proposer: 

PCR amplification and capillary electrophoresis utilizing laser-excited fluorophores have been standard approaches for STR fragment analysis and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing in forensic testing for over 15 years. When challenged samples, relationship testing or lineage confirmation is needed, forensic casework often requires the use of testing beyond the suite of routinely typed STRs, including Y-STR and mtDNA analyses. A single forensic sample may require three individual processes, varying greatly in their methodologies, data analysis, and statistical approaches, to complete testing. Studies have shown that the evaluation of polymorphisms within the STR sequences and the full mitochondrial genome can improve discriminatory power of a forensic comparison; however, effective testing methodologies and analysis pipelines are, as of yet, not refined. The objective of this project is to develop and validate a PCR-free deep sequencing strategy targeting forensic microsatellite loci (autosomal-, Y- and X-STRs) and the complete mtGenome integrated with data analysis software. This strategy does not require amplification nor utilize current synthesis-based sequencing methods. This process will entail mining forensic marker regions from samples using optimized RNA baits, developed through collaboration with researchers at MYcroarray, similar to those successfully utilized in ancient DNA studies. The captured DNA sequences are then processed using novel direct-read sequencing methods developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies in which the native DNA is directly interrogated with a portable sequencing system. With this approach, we can quantitatively assess the genetic composition of forensic samples with greater coverage than is currently available for forensic DNA testing. The optimized system will be evaluated for sensitivity, reproducibility, and concordance to fragment-based results, as well as test the ability to detect and deconvolute sample mixtures from deep coverage sequence data. A streamlined data analysis pipeline for processing the sequencing results will be established to provide not only the allele and haplotype results of the samples, but quality assessment information that can be used to determine the appropriate strategy for quality assurance measures and appropriate control structure for these types of analyses.

This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law.

ca/ncf



  
Grant-Funded Publications
        
                      Nanopore Sequencing: An Enrichment-free Alternative to Mitochondrial DNA Sequencing

  
Date Created: September 21, 2015
    
          Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              Current Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Forthcoming Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Expired Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
    
      
            
            
            
      Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
    
      
            
            
            
      Fellowship & Student Programs
    
      
            
            
            
      Travel Scholarships
    
      
            
            
            
      NIJ Challenge ProgramSimilar Awards
        
                      Exploring Officer Patrol Behaviors Using Automated Vehicle Locator and Body-Worn Camera Data in Kansas City, Missouri
                  Developing a Strategy to Evaluate Urban Violence Prevention and Intervention Ecosystems: A Case Study of Boston
                  Community-Led Learning: A Collaborative Approach to Training and Technical Assistance for Violent Crime Problem Analyses
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov