Fourth Biology Section

The Fourth Biology Section is responsible for examination, research and casework concerning personal identification using forensic DNA analysis of various biological samples such as bloodstains, body fluid stains, tissues and so on found in crime scenes. The PCR-based Short Tandem Repeat (STR) typing method with automated DNA analyzer developed in this section has been used for caseworks at every prefectural forensic science laboratory in Japan since August 2003. The STR typing results from evidentiary samples are compared to those from blood or buccal swab samples submitted from the victims and/or suspect. The current research concerns DNA analysis methods for degraded samples and high throughput.

Development of high throughput DNA analysis

Newly introduced DNA typing methods and DNA analysis instrumentation good for high throughput are validated in this section and will be used for casework.

Automated DNA analyzer with 16 capillaries for STR typing.

Application of DNA chip technology to degraded DNA analysis

Research on a new detection system of single nucleotide polymorphisms has been conducted by applying DNA chip technology.

Polymorphism detection system using DNA chip technology.