Miracle DNA technology to trace suspects in 90 minutes (From This Is Cheshire)
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Miracle DNA technology to trace suspects in 90 minutes
11:10am Friday 6th July 2012 in News By Matthew Hobbs
Keith Elliott
A ‘MIRACLE’ breakthrough in DNA technology has been unveiled for the first time in Warrington.
The new technology, designed in America, will eventually allow police to check the DNA of a suspect in 90 minutes.
Paul Hackett is managing director of Key Forensics, the Birchwood-based company that has become the first in Europe to produce the RapidHIT system.
He said: “The fastest we can do it at the moment is 10 hours with a whole lot of people on a real premium one-off, multi-million pound service.
“It often takes days. This condenses the whole lab process into a single instrument “It’s man on the moon for forensic science.”
The breakthrough means a process that can only be currently be completed in around six laboratories across the country has been reduced down to a box the size of a desktop printer.
“It’s man on the moon for forensic science”
Paul Hackett, Key Forensics
During its launch at Birchwood Park last Wednesday three members of the audience were tested and recieved a DNA profile in three hours.
Mr Hackett believes the increased speed of testing will lead to a reduction in crime as police will be able to tie suspects to a crime scene more quickly.
He said: “The burglar hasn’t got home, the rapist hasn’t washed his clothes, the murderer hasn’t cleaned off the blood.
“It will have a tremendous impact on police interviews.”
But a production cost of £250,000 per unit will mean it is not seen in custody suites for the forseeable future.
Initially specialist agencies will be offered the technology, said Mr Hackett, who expects the price to eventually fall.
“This instrument has been developed because of police requirements but it is not ready for police to use just yet,” he said.
“How many rapes, burglaries and murders will that prevent? How much will that save?
“This can be used at airports, by border control and the police.
“It is the holy grail for forensic science.”
Comments(5)
old-codger
says...
8:39pm Fri 6 Jul 12
MikeJT
says...
8:41am Sat 7 Jul 12
Cleopatra wrote:Because he only had two kits with him (per picture). The third profile had to wait until one of the first two was complete. Yes ladies, this is definitely a male inspired piece of kit......its a lot faster but can only do one thing at a time!...........
Now then, let's think about this.
The claim is made that this little peice of apparatus can check out a suspect's DNA in 90 minutes. So why did three members of th audience have to wait three hours for their DNA profiles?
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Anyway, we all know that Abby (from NCIS) can already do multiple DNA tests in less than 55 minutes.
old-codger
says...
5:38pm Sat 7 Jul 12
MikeJT
says...
11:20am Fri 13 Jul 12
old-codger wrote:Agreed, well at least about Abby being better looking lol. He has two machines in his hand so he starts 2 and then when they are finished (after 90 minutes) he does the third on one of the now free machines. Either that or the reporter never though about the question and therefore didnt ask "why dont the numbers add up?"
If he can only do one at a time it will take 180 minutes to do two and 270 minutes to do three etc etc etc. Abbey is much quicker and MUCH better looking than Keith Elliott.
Cleopatra says...
2:14pm Fri 6 Jul 12
The claim is made that this little peice of apparatus can check out a suspect's DNA in 90 minutes. So why did three members of th audience have to wait three hours for their DNA profiles?