A Forensic Breakthrough: Proteomic Analysis of Human Hair for Individuation Evidence

Abstract

Following a number of reports casting serious doubt on the validity of commonly used methods, the forensic sciences are in a state of crisis. Optical hair analysis for individuation has been shown to be particularly susceptible to erroneous findings. This error comes both in the form of incorrect identifications as well as examiners overstating the weight of optical hair analysis evidence. Absent DNA, there is currently no method available to forensic scientists to provide individuation evidence using a hair sample. Hair protein individuation (“HPI”) aims to fill in this crucial gap in the forensic sciences. HPI utilizes well-established scientific techniques including tandem mass spectrometry, which is already used heavily by forensic scientists for drug identification, to offer an objective, instrument-based analysis of the human hair proteome for individuation evidence. 

To read the full publication, click here