SARASOTA, Fla., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A grant for solving cold cases with DNA is being offered by the National Institute of Justice and has an upcoming application deadline of September 7. The money is slated for the development of solutions for identifying cold cases with viable DNA evidence that can be analyzed and uploaded into the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). DNAPrint (BULLETIN BOARD: DNAP) would like agencies applying for the grant money to include an "additional testing" section in their budget proposals for tests such as Y-chromosome, mitochondrial and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) testing.
CODIS enables federal, state and local crime labs to exchange and compare DNA profiles electronically, thereby linking crimes to each other and to convicted offenders. Currently, there are over 1.7 million convicted offender profiles and 84,477 forensic profiles in the national database. CODIS's primary metric, the "Investigation Aided," is defined as a case that CODIS assisted through a hit (a match produced by CODIS that would not otherwise have been developed). As of June 2004, CODIS has produced over 15,100 hits assisting in more than 18,100 investigations.
When DNA from cold cases is entered into CODIS and does not match with convicted offenders or other cases, investigators have had few options but to wait until the suspect commits another crime. Now investigators have the choice of using DNAWitness(TM) to gain quality information about the ancestry of the perpetrator. The ancestry profile can be used to infer the general characteristics of what the perpetrator looks like and can help eliminate whole populations of people.
DNAWitness(TM) is an SNP-based test that determines the perpetrator's proportions of European, East Asian, Native American and Sub-Saharan African strictly from the DNA. This enables detectives to submit DNA from a crime scene and rapidly develop a profile of general physical appearance. The investigative efforts can then be focused, leads filtered and money saved. More importantly, DNAWitness(TM) can lead to a speedy arrest, which could save the lives of other citizens.
DNAWitness(TM) is a novel investigative tool that could be used on the aforementioned 84,477 forensic profiles in CODIS, which represent the growing number of cold cases in the United States. DNAWitness(TM) has already had notable success in several cases, including a recent high profile case involving the Louisiana serial killer Derrick Todd Lee. Lee was captured two months after investigators received a report that the unknown perpetrator was 85% Sub-Saharan African and 15% Native American. This information helped change the focus of the investigation. Lee was convicted on August 11, 2004 for the murder of Geralyn Barr DeSoto. DNAPrint continues to encourage federal officials and policy makers to make DNAWitness(TM) the next logical step in criminal investigations when no matches are found in CODIS.
Dr. Patrick O'Donnell, Supervising Criminalist for the San Diego Police Department and early sample panel contributor to the evaluation of DNAWitness(TM), is puzzled that more agencies are not taking advantage of this remarkable technology. "For decades, law enforcement agencies have been willing to submit cases for behavioral profiling, and yet this practice has proven to be of questionable value in solving cases. Here is a scientific technology in DNAWitness(TM) that provides ancestral information based on the large-scale analysis of genetic polymorphisms, and the test appears underutilized." O'Donnell continued, "How many agencies have had a rape series where victims or witnesses have given conflicting physical descriptions of the perpetrator, or homicide cases with absolutely no clue as to ancestry of the perpetrator, where DNAWitness(TM) could provide reliable information essential to solving the case?"
Across the United States there are hundreds of Cold Case units that can use DNAWitness(TM) and other DNA testing services to help open cold cases and help re-direct their investigations. DNAPrint genomics, Inc. has created a service that will continue to improve with time. Currently, a customer will receive the DNAWitness(TM) profile, photo database examples of people with similar profiles (all volunteers) and a complete short tandem repeat (STR) profile consistent with that used by the CODIS system. The company uses the STR profile to "bar code" the sample and helps retain sample identity for the chain of custody.
"We will be contacting as many agencies, police and investigators as possible over the next two to three weeks, right up to the last minute, to try and encourage investigators and grant submitters to include DNAWitness(TM) as a part of their grant proposals," said Zach Gaskin, Technical Coordinator of Forensics at DNAPrint genomics, Inc. "We are also encouraging grant applicants to use other DNA testing services, such as ReliaGene's Y-Chromosome STR test, that helped convict Derrick Todd Lee, and mitochondrial DNA testing. The current landscape of forensic DNA testing is changing and we simply want to make sure that investigators realize all the tools they have for identifying perpetrators. Grant funding will be a key element," Gaskin pointed out. "Every forensic sample in CODIS should be profiled using DNAWitness(TM), and those cold cases destined for CODIS are no different," he concluded.
The grant application can be found on line at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm .
"We are encouraging everyone we can to help get DNAWitness(TM) onto the grant, as well as other DNA testing services," said Richard Gabriel, CEO and President. "We will be working the phones to encourage everyone to fill out the grant application and include us," he said. "Additionally, one of our distributors, ReliaGene Technologies, Inc., is also ready to assist in helping grant applicants. Their Y-Chromosome STR tests, along with CODIS STR testing, are valuable tools when combined with DNAWitness(TM). We are the one-two punch that will help narrow the investigation and identify perpetrators, helping convict the criminals. We are at the crossroads for DNA testing, this is a chance that law enforcement has been begging for and we have a service, DNAWitness(TM), that can help investigators focus on the best leads, reducing time, saving lives and using the Federal resources allocated for that purpose. The title of this grant says it all: 'Solving Cold Cases with DNA'!"
About ReliaGene Technologies, Inc.
Founded in 1990 and based in the New Orleans, LA metro area, ReliaGene Technologies Inc. is a leading DNA laboratory facility specializing in human genetic identification and related bio-tech product development. With cutting-edge capabilities for forensic and paternity DNA testing, ReliaGene has now successfully detected human genetic profiles from over 400,000 biological samples, including cases from all 50 U.S. states and over 35 countries worldwide. ReliaGene's Y-PLEX(TM) genotyping systems, first released in 2000, are now sold in over 40 countries with market demand increasing steadily. DNAWitness is available through ReliaGene. For more information, please visit: http://www.reliagene.com/ .
About DNAPrint genomics, Inc.
DNAPrint genomics, Inc. uses proprietary human genome research methods to develop genomic-based services and products. The Company introduced Ancestrybydna in the consumer market and DNAWitness in the forensic market in 2003. DNAPrint is developing products in the pharmacogenomic market and has a disease gene discovery program. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker symbol: DNAP. For more information about the Company, please visit: http://www.dnaprint.com/ .
All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward- looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act as amended. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, but not limited to, uncertainties relating to technologies, product development, manufacturing, market acceptance, cost and pricing of DNAPrint's products, dependence on collaborations and partners, regulatory approvals, competition, intellectual property of others, and patent protection and litigation. DNAPrint genomics, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in DNAPrint's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based.
Media and Press Contacts Richard Gabriel DNAPrint genomics, Inc. CEO/President (941) 366-3400
DNAPrint genomics, Inc.
CODIS enables federal, state and local crime labs to exchange and compare DNA profiles electronically, thereby linking crimes to each other and to convicted offenders. Currently, there are over 1.7 million convicted offender profiles and 84,477 forensic profiles in the national database. CODIS's primary metric, the "Investigation Aided," is defined as a case that CODIS assisted through a hit (a match produced by CODIS that would not otherwise have been developed). As of June 2004, CODIS has produced over 15,100 hits assisting in more than 18,100 investigations.
When DNA from cold cases is entered into CODIS and does not match with convicted offenders or other cases, investigators have had few options but to wait until the suspect commits another crime. Now investigators have the choice of using DNAWitness(TM) to gain quality information about the ancestry of the perpetrator. The ancestry profile can be used to infer the general characteristics of what the perpetrator looks like and can help eliminate whole populations of people.
DNAWitness(TM) is an SNP-based test that determines the perpetrator's proportions of European, East Asian, Native American and Sub-Saharan African strictly from the DNA. This enables detectives to submit DNA from a crime scene and rapidly develop a profile of general physical appearance. The investigative efforts can then be focused, leads filtered and money saved. More importantly, DNAWitness(TM) can lead to a speedy arrest, which could save the lives of other citizens.
DNAWitness(TM) is a novel investigative tool that could be used on the aforementioned 84,477 forensic profiles in CODIS, which represent the growing number of cold cases in the United States. DNAWitness(TM) has already had notable success in several cases, including a recent high profile case involving the Louisiana serial killer Derrick Todd Lee. Lee was captured two months after investigators received a report that the unknown perpetrator was 85% Sub-Saharan African and 15% Native American. This information helped change the focus of the investigation. Lee was convicted on August 11, 2004 for the murder of Geralyn Barr DeSoto. DNAPrint continues to encourage federal officials and policy makers to make DNAWitness(TM) the next logical step in criminal investigations when no matches are found in CODIS.
Dr. Patrick O'Donnell, Supervising Criminalist for the San Diego Police Department and early sample panel contributor to the evaluation of DNAWitness(TM), is puzzled that more agencies are not taking advantage of this remarkable technology. "For decades, law enforcement agencies have been willing to submit cases for behavioral profiling, and yet this practice has proven to be of questionable value in solving cases. Here is a scientific technology in DNAWitness(TM) that provides ancestral information based on the large-scale analysis of genetic polymorphisms, and the test appears underutilized." O'Donnell continued, "How many agencies have had a rape series where victims or witnesses have given conflicting physical descriptions of the perpetrator, or homicide cases with absolutely no clue as to ancestry of the perpetrator, where DNAWitness(TM) could provide reliable information essential to solving the case?"
Across the United States there are hundreds of Cold Case units that can use DNAWitness(TM) and other DNA testing services to help open cold cases and help re-direct their investigations. DNAPrint genomics, Inc. has created a service that will continue to improve with time. Currently, a customer will receive the DNAWitness(TM) profile, photo database examples of people with similar profiles (all volunteers) and a complete short tandem repeat (STR) profile consistent with that used by the CODIS system. The company uses the STR profile to "bar code" the sample and helps retain sample identity for the chain of custody.
"We will be contacting as many agencies, police and investigators as possible over the next two to three weeks, right up to the last minute, to try and encourage investigators and grant submitters to include DNAWitness(TM) as a part of their grant proposals," said Zach Gaskin, Technical Coordinator of Forensics at DNAPrint genomics, Inc. "We are also encouraging grant applicants to use other DNA testing services, such as ReliaGene's Y-Chromosome STR test, that helped convict Derrick Todd Lee, and mitochondrial DNA testing. The current landscape of forensic DNA testing is changing and we simply want to make sure that investigators realize all the tools they have for identifying perpetrators. Grant funding will be a key element," Gaskin pointed out. "Every forensic sample in CODIS should be profiled using DNAWitness(TM), and those cold cases destined for CODIS are no different," he concluded.
The grant application can be found on line at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm .
"We are encouraging everyone we can to help get DNAWitness(TM) onto the grant, as well as other DNA testing services," said Richard Gabriel, CEO and President. "We will be working the phones to encourage everyone to fill out the grant application and include us," he said. "Additionally, one of our distributors, ReliaGene Technologies, Inc., is also ready to assist in helping grant applicants. Their Y-Chromosome STR tests, along with CODIS STR testing, are valuable tools when combined with DNAWitness(TM). We are the one-two punch that will help narrow the investigation and identify perpetrators, helping convict the criminals. We are at the crossroads for DNA testing, this is a chance that law enforcement has been begging for and we have a service, DNAWitness(TM), that can help investigators focus on the best leads, reducing time, saving lives and using the Federal resources allocated for that purpose. The title of this grant says it all: 'Solving Cold Cases with DNA'!"
About ReliaGene Technologies, Inc.
Founded in 1990 and based in the New Orleans, LA metro area, ReliaGene Technologies Inc. is a leading DNA laboratory facility specializing in human genetic identification and related bio-tech product development. With cutting-edge capabilities for forensic and paternity DNA testing, ReliaGene has now successfully detected human genetic profiles from over 400,000 biological samples, including cases from all 50 U.S. states and over 35 countries worldwide. ReliaGene's Y-PLEX(TM) genotyping systems, first released in 2000, are now sold in over 40 countries with market demand increasing steadily. DNAWitness is available through ReliaGene. For more information, please visit: http://www.reliagene.com/ .
About DNAPrint genomics, Inc.
DNAPrint genomics, Inc. uses proprietary human genome research methods to develop genomic-based services and products. The Company introduced Ancestrybydna in the consumer market and DNAWitness in the forensic market in 2003. DNAPrint is developing products in the pharmacogenomic market and has a disease gene discovery program. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker symbol: DNAP. For more information about the Company, please visit: http://www.dnaprint.com/ .
All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward- looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act as amended. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, but not limited to, uncertainties relating to technologies, product development, manufacturing, market acceptance, cost and pricing of DNAPrint's products, dependence on collaborations and partners, regulatory approvals, competition, intellectual property of others, and patent protection and litigation. DNAPrint genomics, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in DNAPrint's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based.
Media and Press Contacts Richard Gabriel DNAPrint genomics, Inc. CEO/President (941) 366-3400
DNAPrint genomics, Inc.
© 2004 PR Newswire
