Research
Single-cell analysis in forensic science: the SCAnDi project
Single-cell and single molecule analysis for DNA identification
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Project Summary.
Funded by:
UKRI Economic and Social Research Council
Project co-investigators:
Dr Iain Macaulay (project lead)
Single-cell isolation and profiling
Prof Lorna Dawson, James Hutton Institute
Environmental forensic science and criminal justice cases
Dr Katherine Brown, University of Portsmouth
Low-yield DNA, NGS and Entomology
Dr George Zouganelis, University of Derby
Short-tandem repeat applications
Dr Nick Dawnay, Liverpool John Moores University
Forensic genetics and non-human DNA
Prof Ardhendu Behera, Edge Hill University
Computer vision and AI techniques
Dr Michael Chen, University of Edinburgh
Microfluidics
DNA analysis has revolutionised forensic science by enabling the identification of individuals from the trace amounts of DNA transferred at a crime scene.
An individual’s DNA can be transferred either within an intact cell - such as a blood cell, a skin cell or a sperm cell - or as free DNA.
We shed cells and DNA wherever we go, often in a context-specific manner: different types of contact will result in the transfer and mixture of different cell types.
While DNA analysis is widely applied in a forensic setting, identifying individuals becomes much more difficult when material from multiple individuals is mixed.
Around 45 per cent of forensic samples within the UK criminal justice system are believed to contain human DNA from two or more individuals.
If there is DNA from more than one person present in a sample, traditional techniques may not be able to separate the identities of all the contributing individuals and reduce the success of searches against DNA databases.
The SCAnDi Project
Single-cell genomic technologies have advanced rapidly in the last decade, with an array of approaches for the analysis of genetic material from individual cells, but these technologies have had limited exploration in a forensic setting.
These approaches could allow DNA profiles to be constructed from cells found at the scene of a crime. These profiles could also be linked with images of the cell, which could provide valuable contextual information to forensic experts - particularly where there are mixed samples.
Funded by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council, the project - ‘Single-cell and single molecule analysis for DNA identification (SCAnDi)' - brings together multidisciplinary expertise, including single-cell genomics, DNA profiling, microfluidics, artificial intelligence, forensic genetics with practitioners in the justice system to deliver proof-of-principle research to demonstrate the applicability of single-cell analysis in forensic science.
Impact statement.
Our focus on stakeholder engagement from initial scope ensures practical relevance is a central component of the research activities.
We are establishing a network of forensic practitioners, commercial suppliers, researchers, and investigative and legal representatives to ensure the technical deliveries remain aligned with the needs of end-users in the justice system.
Single-cell infrastructure
The Earlham Institute hosts the BBSRC National Bioscience Research Infrastructure in Transformative Genomics, bringing together specialist facilities, equipment, and expertise in genome science.
Our platforms for cell sorting, automation, and genomics are world-class and provide SCAnDi with an exceptional environment in which to develop and test these approaches.
