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DNA plays a huge role in forensic science. DNA can be used to determine innocence or guilt, paternity, genetic diseases and we are just now scratching thesurface! ``Just when a scientific principle or discovery crosses the line between experimental and demonstrable stages is difficult to define. Somewhere in this twilight zone the evidential force of the principle must be recognized, and while the court will go a long way in admitting expert testimony deduced from a well-recognized scientific principle or discovery, the thing from which the deduction is made must be sufficiently established to have gained general acceptance in the particular field in which it belongs.'' To meet the Frye standard, the scientific theories and techniques must be generally accepted in the specific scientific community or field to which they belong. Numerous courts, to include several at the appellate level, have assessed the admissibility of expert conclusions based upon the DNA identification process. Courts to date have carefully considered the expert testimony of scientists from the fields of molecular biology and genetics and consistently agreed that the principles underlying the DNA technique are universally accepted. (20) It is commonly recognized in all scientific disciplines that cells with nuclei contain DNA and that the structure of this DNA is different in all individuals except identical twins. Based on such expert testimony, these courts have also, without exception, recognized that certain DNA testing protocols are generally accepted as producing reliable and accurateresults that satisfy both the Frye and relevancy standards of admissibility.
(“DNA Testing and the Frye Standard” by Robert A. Fiatal, J.D. Special Agent, Legal Instructor, FBI Academy)
The technology used in DNA has improved over the last decade by leaps and bounds. In 1866 Gregor Mendel, through his work on pea plants, discovered the fundamentals of inheritance. Miescher isolated DNA from the white blood cells found in pus. He isolated the nucleus and phosphate-rich substances he called nuclein. In 1952, Rosalind Franklin produced the X-ray crystallography pictures of DNA. While her work was critical in the final discovery of the structure she was not able to completely understand the structure. Watson and Crick won the Nobel Prize in 1962 for their discovery of the accurate DNA model. In the early 1980’s Kary Mullis invented Polymerase Chain Reaction (What is PCR?), a process that can make numerous copies of DNA in minutes. During the late 1980’s scientists began using DNA to solve crimes. The Human Genome Project is a blueprint of the 23 human chromosome pairs.
Biology II participates in various labs including genetic simulations, electrophoresis, gel electrophoresis, and a PowerPoint project researching The Innocence Project. Cases are included and various purposes for this technology are debated and explored.
We also are fortunate to have the Florida Department of Law Enforcement visit our classroom to share about how DNA evidence is handled and some presumptive test. Amye Ramos is an excellent resource for information about how this arm of crime fighting works. Here is a photo of how she looks in the lab and the kids trying their hand at evidence collection.
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| Students analyzing sample DNA | Amye Ramos, DNA specialist from the FDLE |