Next-generation sequencing (NGS) can aid law enforcement in solving decades-old cases and provide justice for victims. There is a higher chance of finding a perpetrator when NGS data is used, as opposed to the traditional DNA profile. In this interview, Alexis Garloff talks to News-Medical about her next-generation sequencing research and the applications in forensics, particularly in sexual assault cases.

Can you explain the work undertaken at TU Human Remains Identification Laboratory (THRIL)?

THRIL provides state-of-the-art DNA extraction, quantitation, and next-generation sequencing analysis services for human body fluids and human remains in historic and cold cases. Contract and collaborative work are directed by Dr. Kelly Elkins and Dr. Cindy Zeller. We have had research collaborations with several law enforcement agencies and external laboratories.

What is next-generation sequencing, and how does it improve on prior techniques?

Next-generation sequencing is a massively parallel technique used to rapidly perform targeted or whole genome sequence of human, animal, plant, bacterial, and viral samples. With NGS, we analyze the full sequence of the loci to be compared,  providing significantly increased discrimination power. This is different from traditional DNA typing methods, such as capillary electrophoresis, which analyze the relative length but not the sequence of…