According to multiple reports, researchers at Lund University have developed a novel forensic technique that analyzes non-human DNA—including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and animal genetic material—to aid criminal investigations. The method, led by Associate Professor Eran Elhaik, aims to provide contextual clues that human DNA alone cannot offer. Traditional forensic DNA analysis focuses on short tandem repeats (STR) in human DNA, which can identify individuals but often fails to provide broader context about the crime scene.
According to TV4 Nyheterna, Eran Elhaik described that the police analyze a very small piece of human DNA called STR, and if there is no match in their database, they cannot proceed. The new method provides much context from animals, birds, and bacteria that gives more information about the crime and the criminal. This approach can be applied to various crimes, from solving sex crimes to determining where a bomb was manufactured, where a pistol was stored, or who held it.
The police analyze a very small piece of human DNA, called STR. If there is no match in their database, they cannot proceed. What we provide is much context from all these animals, birds, and bacteria that gives more information about the crime and the criminal.
The method can link anyone to an object they have touched, even if they tried to mask their signature, according to Elhaik. He told TV4 Nyheterna that there are currently many challenges in linking pistols and bombs to criminals because they find ways to evade traditional police methods, and this new method can link anyone to an object they have touched regardless of attempts to mask their signature.
Regarding ethical considerations, Elhaik sees no specific ethical concerns with the method beyond those already associated with human DNA. According to TV4 Nyheterna, he explained that it is the same ethical concerns as with DNA, since people leave their microbiome just like they leave human cells, and if the police can get hold of DNA, they can also use this, so there are no specific ethical concerns.
Right now there are many challenges in linking pistols and bombs to criminals because they find ways to evade traditional police methods. And the police need new methods that can do that, this is that method. It can link anyone to an object they have touched, regardless of whether they tried to mask their signature.
The method has not yet been used in an actual case, according to multiple reports. Several unknowns remain, including when the method will be used in actual police investigations, its accuracy rate, how it handles contamination from environmental sources, and the cost and time required for analysis. It is also unclear whether the method has been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal.
It's the same ethical concerns as with DNA, since we leave our microbiome just like we leave human cells. If the police can get hold of DNA, they can also use this, so there are no specific ethical concerns.