CSI on Steroids: Forensic DNA Phenotyping by Columbia Police Department
June 2015
in “
EMBO Reports
”
TLDR Forensic DNA phenotyping can help generate new leads in cold cases but faces accuracy, legal, and acceptance challenges.
In January 2015, the Columbia Police Department used forensic DNA phenotyping from Parabon Nanolabs to create a suspect image in a cold case, predicting traits like ancestry and hair color. While some experts questioned its accuracy, others saw its potential to exclude large population segments. The technique did not yield new leads but highlighted the evolving role of genomics in forensics, despite debates on its reliability and legal acceptance. It was intended as an investigative tool rather than courtroom evidence.
