Wednesday, May 6, 2009
New forensic science will identify Brazil's "disappeared"
In a piece of extremely exciting forensics news, collaboration between forensic scientists from Sheffield, England, and Brazil using a new DNA extraction technique has identified two homicide victims. The victims had skeletonized bodies, and they were found dumped in sugar cane plantations near Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the late 1990’s. The same new technique is now being used to identify the remains of hundreds – possibly thousands – of victims from Brazil’s former military governments. The new DNA technique was developed as a result of collaboration between Dr. Marco Guirmares from the University of Sao Paulo, and Dr. Martin Evison of the Academic Unit of Forensic Pathology at the University of Sheffield. Together, the two worked on methods of DNA recovery from forensic and ancient skeletons. Eventually, they applied a “third generation” DNA profiling method, which is theoretically able to distinguish a single individual in the entire population of the planet. The new technique will be utilized also by forensic pathologist Dr. Daniel Munoz, appointed by the state of Sao Paulo to oversee identification of over twelve hundred skeletonized bodies discovered in a cemetery, all believed to be the “desaparecidos” or disappeared, from the periods of military government in Brazil from the 1960’s through the 1980’s. This collaboration and consequential success in forensic science is the result of a new University of Sheffield initiative to promote wider collaborative research in human identification science. Ultimately, the University hopes that new advances in forensic science will be used to support the investigation of human rights abuses.
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3 comments:
This article is very interesting and informative. The author did a good job explaining how it was used, the importance of the collaborative effort, and identifying who worked on the new technique. She could have introduced that the technique involved DNA sequencing earlier to make the whole article make more sense. I learned about the new collaborative effort being used on old skeletons in Brazil.
The author chose a great topic to report on. We originally were texted on our knowledge of DNA and its importance to forensic science. It was great to read about a new DNA extraction technique is being used in Brazil. The technique could be used to identify many human remains. I also liked how the author gave some history and some background information. The details she provided were very important and interestings. Finally, I think this post was a good length. It got to the point and explained concepts concisely.
To improve, perhaps the author could have included some quotes from experts like Dr. Daniel Munoz. Also, maybe the author could have given her opinion on the issue.
After studying DNA, I never knew about a "third generation" DNA profiling method.
Paige wrote a very informative article on how a new DNA technique is able to identify homicide victims. It was interesting to learn how this technique can help identify the remains of hundreds of victims in Brazil. I liked that she added why and when this technique was developed. I learned that this DNA technique can support the investigation of human rights abuses.
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