New methods will reduce case processing times
A research grant could help the Denver Police Department process some cases in a matter of hours. The National Institute of Justice is awarding the DPD Crime Lab $370,813 to develop advanced DNA processing methods for use in sexual assault cases. The research will be conducted as a collaborative effort between the crime lab and Boulder-based Somalogic, Inc. If researchers are successful, new processing methods will reduce sexual assault case processing times from months to hours.
The grant will support the development of advanced aptamer-based methods for the isolation of sperm cells from sexual assault case evidence. Originally conceived by Greggory LaBerge, Director of the Denver Police Department Crime Laboratory, and Gary Stetler, a postdoctoral fellow from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, this method employs DNA aptamers to isolate and bind to specific proteins in sperm cells, allowing the efficient isolation of sperm cells. This research grant now brings together forensic scientists from the Denver Police Department crime laboratory with experienced aptamer scientists led by Dr. Larry Gold at Somalogic.
“This new method has the potential to significantly speed the DNA processing on sexual assault cases,” commented Director LaBerge, “By reducing the processing time, we believe that this method will substantially improve forensic science in the service of victims of violent crime.”
“We are thrilled to be working with the Denver Police Department Crime Laboratory to apply our proprietary aptamer technology to this important application,” added Dr. Larry Gold. "We believe that accurate and rapid analysis of samples in sexual assault cases will lead to a reduction in the backlog of cases and in the accurate and timely administration of justice.”
Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acids that form well-defined three dimensional shapes, allowing them to bind targets in a manner that is conceptually similar to antibodies. Aptamers are now being employed in a variety of applications including diagnostics, life science applications and therapeutics.
SomaLogic is developing proteomics systems and applications based on its proprietary aptamer technology. The company's aptamer arrays will allow researchers--and ultimately clinicians--to measure large numbers of proteins simultaneously, providing the foundation for new insights into disease and health.