DNA profiling

DNA profiling identifies or compares individuals by analyzing distinctive patterns in their DNA, usually at highly variable regions. It can associate biological samples with people but does not by itself establish when or how a sample was deposited.

Short tandem repeat: A DNA sequence motif repeated head-to-tail a variable number of times at a genomic locus. Most forensic profiles compare repeat counts at multiple STR loci.
Forensic genetics: The application of genetic analysis to legal investigations and questions. DNA profiling is one of forensic genetics' principal identification methods.
Alec Jeffreys: A British geneticist who developed DNA fingerprinting in 1984. Jeffreys discovered variable DNA patterns that made individual identification possible.
Single-nucleotide polymorphism: A DNA-sequence position at which individuals commonly differ by one nucleotide. SNP panels use different genetic variation from the STR markers typical of forensic profiles.
DNA database: An organized collection of genetic profiles used for comparison and analysis. Databases extend profiling from sample-to-person comparisons to searches across stored records.
Polymerase chain reaction: A laboratory method that makes many copies of a selected DNA segment. PCR amplifies small amounts of DNA so marker regions can be measured.
CODIS: The United States system of DNA databases used to compare forensic profiles. CODIS searches stored profiles for investigative matches.
DNA fingerprinting: An early name for methods that distinguish individuals by variable patterns in DNA. The original technique introduced by Jeffreys preceded modern STR profiling.
Mitochondrial DNA testing: Analysis of DNA in mitochondria, often used for maternal-line comparisons. It can help with degraded samples but usually distinguishes maternal lineages less specifically.
Innocence Project: A nonprofit organization that uses legal advocacy and DNA testing to challenge wrongful convictions. Post-conviction DNA analysis has helped expose mistaken identifications and convictions.

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