Episode Details

DNA has been an invaluable tool to make certain matches between a suspect and a crime. Since its early use in the 1980s, we have seen an explosion in DNA sequence availability, allowing forensic scientists to identify hypervariable regions of the genome that can assist in confirming a person's identity. However, there are many ethical issues surrounding its implementation, such as use of public and private databases (like 23 and Me) to identify a suspect. The discussion covers a breadth of forensic applications with Brian Hoey, Director of the Missouri State Police Crime Lab.