Everything about Touch DNA
Forensic method for analyzing DNA evidence
Touch DNA, also known as Trace DNA, is a forensic method for analyzing DNA left at the scene of a crime. It is called "touch DNA" because it only requires very small samples, for example from the skin cells left on an object after it has been touched or casually handled, or from footprints. Touch DNA analysis only requires seven or eight cells from the outermost layer of human skin. The technique has been criticized for high rates of false positives due to contamination—for example, fingerprint brushes used by crime scene investigators can transfer trace amounts of skin cells from one surface to another, leading to inaccurate results. Because of the risk of false positives, it is more often used by the defense to help exclude a suspect rather than the prosecution. Wikipedia →
🧠Start here: a 6-step reading path
- Read the overview: Touch DNAA 5-minute orientation
- Skim a recent paper: Epigenetic protection: maternal touch and DNA-methylation in early lifeInfluential work since 2022
- Pick up a classic book: Crime scene investigationThe most-reprinted book on the subject
- Read the landmark paper: Evaluation of tapelifting as a collection method for touch DNACited 102 times
- Go sideways: Murder of Brianna DenisonA closely related topic
- Go sideways: Forensic identificationA closely related topic
đź“– Definitions
No dictionary entry for this exact phrase.
🗂️ The subject at a glance
🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)
Evaluation of tapelifting as a collection method for touch DNA
Touch DNA collection – Performance of four different swabs
Forensic touch DNA recovery from metal surfaces – A review
Touch DNA Sampling Methods: Efficacy Evaluation and Systematic Review
Touch DNA: impact of handling time on touch deposit and evaluation of different recovery techniques: An experimental study
Persistence of touch DNA on burglary-related tools
Individual shedder status and the origin of touch DNA
Genetic profiling from challenging samples: Direct PCR of touch DNA
🆕 Influential since 2022
Epigenetic protection: maternal touch and DNA-methylation in early life
Persistence of touch DNA on commonly encountered substrates in different storage conditions
A review on touch DNA collection, extraction, amplification, analysis and determination of phenotype
Analysis of rapid HIT application to touch DNA samples
Collection techniques of touch DNA deposited on human skin following a strangulation scenario
đź“š Books worth reading
Crime scene investigationMichael Braswell, Jacqueline T. Fish · 2007
Surviving justiceLola Vollen, Dave Eggers · 2005
Lust auf LetteringMartina Flor · 2016- 📕Nucleic acid detectionDmitry M. Kolpashchikov, Yulia V. Gerasimova · 2013
Planet apeDesmond Morris, Steve Parker · 2009- 📕Examining factors affecting the deposition of DNA on touched evidenceEdward M. Barrera · 2012
- 📕Theta healingRinat Gargir · 2011
Open me upLaura Buller · 2009
Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.
đź”— Related topics
- Murder of Brianna Denison Brianna Zunino Denison (March 29, 1988 – January 20, 2008) was an American college student who was abducted on January 20, 2008, from a friend's house…
- Forensic identification Forensic identification is the application of forensic science, or "forensics", and technology to identify specific objects from the trace evidence they…
- DNA profiling DNA profiling (also called DNA fingerprinting and genetic fingerprinting) is the process of determining an individual's deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) characterist…
- Forensic Science Service The Forensic Science Service (FSS) was a government-owned company in the United Kingdom which provided forensic science services to the police forces and…
- Wrongful conviction of David Camm David Ray Camm (born March 23, 1964) is a former trooper of the Indiana State Police (ISP) who spent 13 years in prison after twice being wrongfully convicted…
- Killing of JonBenét Ramsey Late on the night of December 25 or during the early morning hours of December 26, 1996, six‑year‑old JonBenét Patricia Ramsey was murdered in her family's…
- Low copy number Low Copy Number (LCN) is a DNA profiling technique developed by the UK Forensic Science Service (FSS) which has been in use since 1999. In the United Kingdom…
- Forensic biology Forensic biology is the application of biological principles and techniques in the investigation of criminal and civil cases. Forensic biology is primarily…