The end-to-end integrated robotic system for DNA analytics will have a tremendous impact on the practice of DNA analysis. It will give the Forensic & Analytical Science Service (FASS) greater capacity to do more cases in a shorter timeframe and could lead to faster Police apprehension of suspects across all crime types.
Dr Catherine Hitchcock conducted a global environmental and market scan of forensic laboratories and instrument vendors*. She assessed what technology was both available and emerging to find ways to automate every step of the DNA analysis process. The challenge was finding options that could be integrated into a single system that met the high throughput needs of NSW Police, while optimising outcomes in DNA recovery and maintaining the highest quality of DNA results for the judiciary.
Following the tender process and identification of the successful vendors, a series of robotic platforms and genetic analysers were installed and Catherine’s research extended to adapting innovative methods to meet the needs of current and future testing environments. This work covered many requirements from sample collection devices to DNA extraction methods which will integrate with a new advanced DNA typing kit and bespoke automation for the new platforms. Catherine’s research will offer the best flexibility, processing times, and contamination risk mitigation strategies.
Catherine’s extraordinary research and expertise will result in a ground-breaking system that greatly improves the provision of DNA results to NSW Police to enhance public safety.
*Collaborator acknowledgements: The Robotics project consulted widely to ensure a world-leading Forensic DNA analytical system was identified for procurement. NSW Police, engineers and application specialists at Bio-Strategy, Tecan and Thermo Fisher Scientific, as well as our Forensic DNA staff were all a part of the consultation process in this research project.