FINAL by: OSAC Program Office; Version 2, January 13, 2020 1 

OSAC RESEARCH NEEDS ASSESSMENT FORM

Title of research need: Genetic Ancestry, Proteomics, and Hair Morphology

Describe

the need:

An assessment of the different aspects of ancestry that can be determined by microscopy, 

DNA, and proteomics and how a combined approach could work

Keyword(s): microscopy, genetic ancestry, proteomics, hair

Submitting subcommittee(s): Trace Materials Date Approved: September 19, 2023

Background Information:

1. Does this research need address a gap(s) in a current or planned standard? (ex.: Field identification system 

for on scene opioid detection and confirmation)

In typical casework, assessments of ancestry are based on hair morphology and microstructure, which are 

imprecise; however, the information gained from non-destructive microscopical analysis can be informative for 

determining which hairs to move forward for DNA or proteomic analyses. Exploring hair microstructure and 

morphology related to genetic ancestry and proteomic genotype would help to update current methods and aid 

microscopists in understanding the specificity and limitations to using hair microstructure and morphology for 

estimating ancestry. Currently, DNA and/or proteomic analyses of hairs are not typically used to make ancestry 

assessments in forensic casework. Proteomic analysis is of great interest for an additional analytical method for 

hair evidence as hairs may not yield sufficiently high quantities of DNA and/or may not produce usable DNA 

profiles. Proteomic profiles may be obtained more readily in hairs than DNA profiles. The goal of this research 

request is to 1) increase the precision of ancestry assessments made using microscopy and 2) assess the 

ancestry information gained from microscopical analysis, DNA analysis, and proteomic analysis to determine the 

best testing scheme for hairs in casework. Research on hair phenotypes and the role that human ancestry and 

genetics play in hair traits, and the variability in hair microstructure can help elucidate potential relationships 

between hair traits, genetic profiles and proteomic genotype that can be useful for differentiating samples in 

forensic casework.

2. Are you aware of any ongoing research that may address this research need that has not yet been published 

(e.g., research presented in conference proceedings, studies that you or a colleague have participated in but 

have yet to be published)?

Research has been published within disparate fields, but an interdisciplinary study is needed to combine the 

microscopical analysis of hairs for the phenotypic traits potentially related to genetic ancestry with proteomic 

genotyping to determine the best way to make biogeographic ancestry assessments in forensic casework.
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3. Key bibliographic references relating to this research need: (ex.: Toll, L., Standifer, K. M., Massotte, D., eds. 

(2019). Current Topics in Opioid Research. Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA. doi: 10.3389/978-2-88963-180-3)

• Adhikari, K., Fontanil, T., Cal, S., Mendoza-Revilla, J., Fuentes-Guajardo, M., ChacónDuque, J.-C., ... Ruiz-Linares, A. 

(2016). A genome-wide association scan in admixed Latin Americans identifies loci influencing facial and scalp hair 

features. Nature Communications, 7, 10815.

• Bryson, W. G., Harland, D. P., Caldwell, J. P., Vernon, J. A., Walls, R. J., Woods, J. L., Koike, K. (2009). Cortical cell types 

and intermediate filament arrangements correlate with fiber curvature in Japanese human hair. Journal of 

Structural Biology,166(1), 46–58.

• Camacho-Bragado, G. A., Balooch, G., Dixon-Parks, F., Porter, C., & Bryant, H. (2015). Understanding breakage in 

curly hair. British Journal of Dermatology, 173(S2), 10–16.

• Franbourg, A., Hallegot, P., Baltenneck, F., Toutain, C., & Leroy, F. (2003). Current research on ethnic hair. Journal of 

the American Academy of Dermatology, 48(6 SUPPL.).

• Fujimoto, A., Kimura, R., Ohashi, J., Omi, K., Yuliwulandari, R., Batubara, L.,Tokunaga, K. (2008). A scan for genetic 

determinants of human hair morphology: EDAR is associated with Asian hair thickness. Human Molecular Genetics, 

17(6), 835–843.

• Fujimoto, A., Nishida, N., Kimura, R., Miyagawa, T., Yuliwulandari, R., Batubara, L., ...Ohashi, J. (2009). FGFR2 is 

associated with hair thickness in Asian populations. Journal of Human Genetics, 54(8), 461–465.

• Fujimoto, A., Ohashi, J., Nishida, N., Miyagawa, T., Morishita, Y., Tsunoda, T., Tokunaga, K. (2008). A replication study 

confirmed the EDAR gene to be a major contributor to population differentiation regarding head hair thickness in 

Asia. Human Genetics, 124(2), 179–185.

• Goecker, Zachary C., et al. "Optimal processing for proteomic genotyping of single human hairs." Forensic Science 

International: Genetics 47 (2020): 102314.

• Ho, Y. Y. W., Brims, M., McNevin, D., Spector, T. D., Martin, N. G., & Medland, S. E. (2016). Variation and Heritability in 

Hair Diameter and Curvature in an Australian Twin Sample. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 19(4), 351–358.

• Koch, Sandra L., Mark D. Shriver, and Nina G. Jablonski. "Variation in Human Hair Ultrastructure among Three 

Biogeographic Populations." Journal of structural biology (2018).

• Koch, S. L., Tridico, S. R., Bernard, B. A., Shriver, M. D., & Jablonski, N. G. (2019). The biology of human hair: A 

multidisciplinary review. American Journal of Human Biology, e23316.

• Lewis, E. J., Benefiel, O., Fronda, M. V., & Podini, D. (2022). Nuclear DNA SNP profiles derived from human hair shaft. 

Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series, 8, 333-335.

• Laatsch, Chelsea N., et al. "Human hair shaft proteomic profiling: individual differences, site specificity and cuticle 

analysis." PeerJ 2 (2014): e506.

• Martin, N. G. (2009). Common Variants in the Trichohyalin Gene Are Associated with Straight Hair in Europeans. 

American Journal of Human Genetics, 85(5), 750–755.

• Mou, C., Thomason, H. A., Willan, P. M., Clowes, C., Edwin Harris, W., Drew, C. F., ... Headon, D. J. (2008). Enhanced 

Ectodysplasin-A receptor (EDAR) signaling alters multiple fiber characteristics to produce the east Asian hair form. 

Human Mutation, 29(12), 1405–1411.

• Parker, Glendon J., et al. "Demonstration of protein-based human identification using the hair shaft proteome." PloS 

one 11.9 (2016): e0160653.

• Saint Olive Baque, C., Zhou, J., Gu, W., Collaudin, C., Kravtchenko, S., Kempf, J. Y., & Saint-Léger, D. (2012).

Relationships between hair growth rate and morphological parameters of human straight hair: A same law above 

ethnical origins? International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 34(2), 111–116.

• Thibaut, S., & Bernard, B. A. (2005). The biology of hair shape. International Journal of Dermatology, 44(SUPPL. 1), 

2–3.

• Westgate, G.E., Ginger, R.S. & Green, M.R., 2017. The biology and genetics of curly hair. Experimental Dermatology, 

26(6), pp.483–490. 

• Witherspoon, D. J., Wooding, S., Rogers, A. R., Marchani, E. E., Watkins, W. S., Batzer, M. A., & Jorde, L. B. (2007). 

Genetic similarities within and between human populations. Genetics, 176(1), 351–359.
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4. Review the annual operational/research needs published by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) at 

https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/forensic-science-research-and-development-technology-working-groupoperational#latest? Is your research need identified by NIJ?

No.

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

This research could increase the forensic community's understanding of microscopical traits related to ancestry 

and increase the accuracy of ancestry assessments with the addition of DNA and/or proteomic genotyping. 

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

subcommittee(s)?

This interdisciplinary study would improve the understanding of the morphological traits of hairs and provide 

the link between observed hair traits and genetic ancestry ( DNA and/or proteomic genotype). 

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

Hair evidence is becoming an underutilized type of evidence in forensic laboratories because fewer samples are 

collected by SANE/SART personnel, fewer labs are maintaining expertise in microscopical analysis, and there 

has often been limited success developing probative DNA profiles from hairs. With this interdisciplinary 

analysis, the different disciplines can better understand the information that can be gained from each other and 

how to best work toward a combined approach to the forensic analysis of hair evidence instead of a scattershot 

analysis of random hairs by one method alone. 

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

1 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

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

informational resource to the community.