Version 1 / Date of Issue: 10.29.15 / Issuing Authority: Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB)

OSAC Research Needs Assessment Form

Title of research need:

Keywords:

Submitting subcommittee(s): Date Approved:

(If SAC review identifies additional subcommittees, add them to the box above.)

Background information:

1. Description of research need:

2. Key bibliographic references relating to this research need:

3a. In what ways would the research results improve current laboratory capabilities?

This is a new capability that could address a range of cold cases such as murders, abductions, 

missing persons, and also current investigations such as using DNA found on including priority 

matters such as

• Improvised Explosive Devices

• Weapons used in criminal activity to identify owners/shooters

• Missing children where years have passed and they are now young adults

• Deceased persons where dental and fingerprints are not available

Vendor(s) are selling technology that purports to create and an accurate adolescent facial image 

from DNA. If this technology is reasonably accurate then it could be a new way of identifying 

persons as DNA could be used to create a facial image and then facial recognition technology could 

be used to find a list of possible persons or the public can be approached to crowd source possible 

identifications or to assist with prioritizing persons already suspected of being involved. The 

research need is to perform an objective evaluation of the performance of the claimed techniques. 

Claes P, Liberton DK, Daniels K, Rosana KM, Quillen EE, Pearson LN, et al. (2014) 

Modeling 3D Facial Shape from DNA. PLoS Genet 10(3): e1004224. 

doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1004224.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22129613-600-genetic-mugshot-recreates-faces-fromnothing-but-dna/

Dr Peter Claes, a medical imaging specialist at the University of Leuven. 

Mark D. Shriver, a professor of anthropology and genetics at Penn State University. 

Assessment of the accuracy of getting Facial Images from DNA

Facial Recognition, DNA, Facial Identification

Facial Identification, DNA 1/29/16
Version 1 / Date of Issue: 10.29.15 / Issuing Authority: Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB)
Version 1 / Date of Issue: 10.29.15 / Issuing Authority: Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB)

3b. In what ways would the research results improve understanding of the scientific basis for the 

subcommittee(s)?

3c. In what ways would the research results improve services to the criminal justice system?

4. Status assessment (I, II, III, or IV): 

This research need has been identified by one or more subcommittees of OSAC and is being provided as an 

informational resource to the community.

Major gap 

in current 

knowledge

Minor gap 

in current 

knowledge

No or limited

current research 

is being 

conducted

I III

Existing current 

research is being 

conducted

II IV

If this technique/technology can create a reasonable likeness, especially if key parts of the face 

provide reliable and accurate facial morphology for biometric matching and forensic examination.

This is a new capability that could address a range of cold cases such as murders, abductions, 

missing persons, and also current investigations such as using DNA found on including priority 

matters such as

• Improvised Explosive Devices

• Weapons used in criminal activity to identify owners/shooters

• Missing children where years have passed and they are now young adults

• Deceased persons where dental and fingerprints are not available

I
Version 1 / Date of Issue: 10.29.15 / Issuing Authority: Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB)

// Approval date:

(Approval is by majority vote of subcommittee. Once approved, forward to SAC.)

1. Does the SAC agree with the research need? Yes ⃝ No ⃝ 

2. Does the SAC agree with the status assessment? Yes ⃝ No ⃝

If no, what is the status assessment of the SAC:

Approval date:

(Approval is by majority vote of SAC. Once approved, forward to NIST for posting.)

29Jan2016 Subcommittee

SAC

6/15/16