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
 Touch DNA in Activity-Level Propositions: A Bullpen of Events to Inform Alternate Prosecution and Defense Scenarios
Award Information
Awardee
              UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS
Award #
              15PNIJ-22-GG-04425-DNAX
Funding Category
              Competitive Discretionary
Location
                    DAVIS, CA
Awardee County
              Yolo
Congressional District
              4
Status
              Open
Funding First Awarded
              2022
Total funding (to date)
              $272,533
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY22 Research and Development in Forensic Sciences for Criminal Justice Purposes
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2022, $272,533)
Providing alternate scenarios to explain why a suspect’s DNA is found at a crime scene is a common form of defense, and evaluating each scenario provides tremendous value when it can be backed by empirical data.  The goal of the proposed research is to eliminate the variation of DNA quantity in the original touch sample deposition by creating a ground truth sample, the domesticated fingerprint, containing a known quantity of DNA in sebaceous fingerprint chemistry.  Knowing the starting DNA quantity in a touch sample, we will define specific transfer events, as well as chains of events, by DNA transfer and recovery.
In Aim 1, the ground truth sample will be expanded to include a domesticated hand, a mock epidermis molded on a nitrile glove.  We will establish a workflow for the use of the domesticated hand and fingerprints and demonstrate its application with a 2-event transfer pathway.  A fingerprint will be deposited, collected by swabbing, the DNA extracted, quantified and amplified as a STR multiplex.  Fingerprints in the wild, i.e. natural fingerprints, will be analyzed to compare and contrast.  In Aim 2, we will complete a more complex transfer pathway with both domesticated and wild fingerprints.
The data will be used to establish a “bullpen of transfer events,” each supported by empirical transfer and recovery data, which would be informative in a variety of crime scenarios and, therefore, be of great use to the forensic scientist.  The options bullpen will support a flexible predictive model that will enable a forensic scientist to objectively evaluate the potential for DNA profiles to be generated by a variety of potential scenarios.  The result will be of tremendous value to the forensic and justice system communities, as currently this type of transfer is only postulated, with no objective means of quantitation.  Therefore, it is a major step forward in supporting justice through objective data to evaluate competing crime reconstruction scenarios.
This work has grown from a long-term collaboration between an academic lab (UC Davis) and an operational forensic lab (NYC State Crime Laboratory).  Products and deliverables will include quarterly financial reports, semi-annual and final progress reports.  A bullpen of events and predictive model supported by publicly available empirical data, will be made available to the forensic science community in open-access journals.  The data will be presented at national forensic sciences conferences and in peer-reviewed publications.
Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law," and complies with Part 200 Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR  200.210(a)(14). CA/NCF

  
Date Created: September 28, 2022
    
          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
        
                      Empirical Analysis of Saw Mark Characteristics in Human Bone: Meeting Forensic Standards in Dismemberment Cases
                  Pivoting Headspace Ethanol Analysis to Accommodate Modern Day Scenarios
                  Understanding and Refining Violence Intervention Implementation: St. Louis (MO) as a Crucial Case
 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