Genomic Portraiture: The Science and Ethics of DNA Phenotyping in Identity Prediction

Forensic DNA phenotyping (FDP) has revolutionized criminal investigations by enabling the prediction of externally visible characteristics (EVCs) such as eye, hair, and skin color from DNA samples. The IrisPlex system marked a significant advancement by accurately predicting eye color using specific SNP markers. Subsequent developments, including HIrisPlex and HIrisPlex-S, have expanded capabilities to include hair and skin color predictions, respectively, enhancing the precision of forensic investigations. Future research aims to further improve predictive accuracy, expand characteristic analysis, and address ethical concerns, heralding a new era in forensic science.