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Proteomics, the study of proteins and their interactions, is an emerging field of science that holds immense potential in understanding and managing various diseases. By analyzing the structure, function, abundance, and interactions of proteins…
Proteomics, the study of proteins and their interactions, is an emerging field of science that holds immense potential in understanding and managing various diseases. By analyzing the structure, function, abundance, and interactions of proteins in different cells, scientists can gain valuable insights that contribute to more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies. In this article, we explore the fascinating world of proteomics, its applications in forensic science, and how aspiring researchers can embark on a rewarding journey in this field.
Proteomics encompasses a range of disciplines within biology, including genomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. The term “proteome” refers to the complete set of proteins expressed in a cell or organism. Coined in 1975 when the first proteins were isolated and mapped, proteomics has evolved significantly over the years. Today, researchers can employ proteomics to study genes, genomes, protein interactions, and even gain mechanistic insights into tumor growth and metastasis.
Forensic science benefits greatly from the advancements in proteomics, offering a new and powerful tool for investigating and solving crimes. While extracting proteins may pose challenges compared to DNA analysis, proteins can provide answers to questions that DNA alone cannot address.
Proteomic analysis allows scientists to detect traces of drugs or other substances in evidence, establish connections between individuals involved in a crime, and determine the age and condition of evidence left at a crime scene. By leveraging the information encoded in proteins, forensic scientists can make significant breakthroughs and bring justice to victims.
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This section will delve deeper into the applications and benefits of proteomics in forensic science.
1. Establishing the Origin of Biological Material
Proteomics plays a pivotal role in identifying the origin of biological material found at crime scenes. By analyzing the proteins present in a sample, forensic scientists can determine the species, tissue type, or fluid it originates from. This information is invaluable in linking a specific individual to a crime or establishing the presence of substances, such as drugs or toxins, in the sample. Unlike DNA analysis, which provides limited information about the source of the biological material, proteomics offers a more comprehensive understanding, enabling investigators to paint a clearer picture of the events surrounding the crime.
2. Determining Individual Identity
One of the most significant advantages of proteomics in forensic science is its ability to determine an individual’s identity with remarkable accuracy. Proteins, being highly specific to individuals, can serve as unique markers for identification. By comparing the protein profiles of a sample with known references, forensic scientists can establish the identity of a suspect or victim. This information is particularly useful when DNA analysis is not feasible, either due to degradation or absence. Proteomics provides an alternative avenue for identifying individuals and can significantly contribute to solving cases that would otherwise remain unsolved.
3. Uncovering Vital Clues
Proteomics enables forensic scientists to uncover vital clues that might have otherwise gone undetected. By studying the proteins present in a sample, scientists can identify specific markers or signatures associated with certain activities or conditions. For example, proteomic analysis can reveal the presence of proteins associated with drug use, indicating the involvement of illicit substances in a crime. Similarly, it can detect proteins associated with physical trauma, shedding light on the nature and severity of injuries sustained by a victim. These insights can provide crucial evidence in courtrooms and greatly assist in building a strong case.
4. Overcoming Challenges in DNA Analysis
While DNA analysis has long been a staple in forensic investigations, it has its limitations. DNA samples can degrade over time, rendering them unsuitable for analysis. In such cases, proteomics offers a viable alternative. Proteins are more robust and stable, allowing for analysis even when DNA is no longer viable. Additionally, proteomic analysis can provide valuable information beyond what DNA analysis can offer. By examining the protein patterns, forensic scientists can gain insights into biological processes, disease conditions, and even the individual’s lifestyle or exposure to certain substances.
An illustrative example of the impact of proteomics in forensic science is a case that occurred in North Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2014, a two-year-old child died under mysterious circumstances. Initial examination of the bruising suggested potential harm by the babysitter, but the evidence was inconclusive. In an attempt to identify toxins, a biochemist from the University of British Columbia analyzed the child’s blood and urine samples using proteomics.
By studying the proteins present in the samples, the scientist aimed to isolate any foreign proteins. Remarkably, he identified nonhuman proteins that matched snake venom. Further analysis indicated that the child had been bitten by a rattlesnake, a crucial discovery that DNA analysis alone would not have revealed. This case underscores the vital role proteomics can play in elucidating intricate details and providing critical evidence in forensic investigations.
As proteomics is still a relatively new field, there are numerous opportunities for students and researchers to embark on groundbreaking projects and contribute to scientific advancements. If you aspire to work in proteomics, starting with an undergraduate science degree in biology or chemistry is advisable, as it provides a solid foundation for further studies.
Attending a university with a dedicated proteomics department, such as Northwestern Proteomics at Northwestern University or the Department of Molecular Medicine Proteomics at the University of South Florida, can offer valuable resources and mentorship opportunities. In this field, ambition is essential. Students must identify their research objectives, choose suitable projects, and seek mentors who can guide them through the research process, ultimately leading to the production of significant outcomes.
Proteomics represents a rapidly expanding field with vast potential in understanding and combating diseases. Through the study of proteins and their characteristics, scientists can gain valuable insights into disease progression, treatment efficacy, and biomarkers. In the realm of forensic science, proteomics offers a powerful tool for analyzing evidence, identifying the origin of biological materials, and unraveling complex crime scenes.
Related: https://nbc101.com/2022/09/29/symbiotic-relationships-in-ecology-mutualism-parasitism-and-commensalism-via-wild-earth-lab/ https://nbc101.com/2022/09/29/symbiotic-relationships-in-ecology-mutualism-parasitism-and-commensalism-via-wild-earth-lab/
SimplyforensicSimplyForensic Editor
Forensic Analyst by Profession. With Simplyforensic.com striving to provide a one-stop-all-in-one platform with accessible, reliable, and media-rich content related to forensic science. Education background in B.Sc.Biotechnology and Master of Science in forensic science.
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With the demise of the internationally renowned public sector UK Forensic Science Service in 2012 came the promulgation and growth of a new competitive marketplace.
Private sector companies working in a hastily drawn up framework for forensic science provision were invited into rounds of competitive tendering that were driven by the police service.
These were based on the notion that the Forensic Science Service had been inefficient, delivering forensic science analysis in an expensive and untimely manner.
However, high-quality forensic science provision was always costly and the British police service wanted to operate in a new culture of cost reduction and value for money. They wanted full control of their spending and that is understandable.
But with the rise of competitive tendering the provision of forensic science was commoditized. Specific work and tests in each forensic discipline were itemized and bid for by the companies.
The police forces guaranteed specific volumes of testing to the companies in order to get the best prices and the police began to dictate to the companies what tests they required against the ‘pricelist’ when potential forensic evidence had been collected from crime scenes.
The police service also determined to undertake certain basic scientific tasks themselves. By bringing these in house they could further save money and reduce the burden on their budgets.
This new and cheaper approach has been in place for nine years and has been subjected to comment by critics and supporters alike. In 2018 one major player in the new UK forensic market, Key Forensic Services Ltd, collapsed. They had won a significant share of the available forensic science work, but couldn’t sustain the service.
Many working in forensic science warned that the quality of expert analysis and interpretation would be lost as scientists would no longer be able to refer their findings to colleagues across overlapping disciplines in order to provide a holistic approach to obtaining the best evidence from the forensic samples presented.
This would inevitably lead to the loss of the opportunities for contextualization of the evidential findings for use in the justice process.
In addition the fragmentation of the industry has seen many expert scientists set up their own niche services and struggle to get regular work. Some left the industry altogether.
There has never been a properly constituted academic analysis of what these changes have meant to UK forensic science provision and what the impact has been.
Until now.
In a comprehensive and thorough six-year research programme, Dr Karen Richmond from the University of Copenhagen undertook a long and objective period of fieldwork and analysis.
Interviews were conducted not only with forensic scientists, but also with allied institutional agents including senior professional members of the judiciary of England and Wales, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, the Office of the Forensic Science Regulator, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Royal Society, the UK Accreditation Service, the Metropolitan Police Service, and the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Her findings are both startling and important. They point to a thoroughly dysfunctional marketplace that has failed to harmonize the array of tests and reports in a way that should have led to the configuration of a homogenous service from each provider to all police forces.
Instead, the exact opposite has occurred, with very different requirements being demanded of providers by each separate police force so that scientists are “reinventing the wheel” for each customer.
Furthermore the scientific strategy for the analysis and reporting of forensic samples is set by the police with little or no scientific training. They will perhaps have undertaken Crime Scene Investigation training, but that doesn’t allow for the best objective understanding of what might work or not work in each case.
This can result in loss of opportunities as the scientists are often not able to question the police requirements and cannot make their own investigative assessments of what the best science is to be applied.
There has been a market push and perhaps an over reliance on DNA testing as the “go to” science, to the detriment of other scientific processes such as the searching for, collection of, and analysis of fibers.
Indeed there are a host of critical findings that reflect negatively on the way the market has developed. Dr Richmond says in her report:
The data demonstrates not only how government agencies failed to adapt to the introduction of competitive tendering, but also how the market which developed in their wake began to influence, distort and reconfigure the very processes of forensic strategy-setting and analysis.
She goes on to say:
The results offer a compelling insight into the ways in which these agents have adapted to changing relations, shifting priorities, and the imposition of market logics within a sector unaccustomed to the obtrusions of economic efficiency and external regulation.
After nine years there are continuing tensions and frustrations. They are keenly felt by scientists and the companies providing forensic science services. These should not now be set aside as just another academic study.
Dr Richmond’s work has shown that in hindsight the implementation of the decision to restructure forensic science provision to the UK criminal justice system was flawed.
It perhaps should have never left the public sector in the first place, where in a government agency cost considerations would have remained secondary to the need to provide comprehensive criminal justice outcomes.
In a recent column for The Crime Report “ Why We Need a Federal Forensic Science Agency,” I argued that forensic science provision in the U.S. cannot continue to support unvalidated and often junk science in its courts to the detriment of a fair and just criminal justice system. This remains the case.
However the UK seems to have also got things wrong. Not in the quality of work that is done by the forensic providers, as this is regulated and accredited to international standards; but in the way that the science has been dumbed down by the police.
The emphasis on treating science as a sequence of commoditized testing processes has led to the inability of scientists to properly engage their expertise in support of criminal justice in the way they did when forensic science was delivered as a public sector service.
If the U.S. is eventually to embrace a nationally mandated federal forensic science system in the future, then there are clear lessons to be learned from Dr Richmond’s research.
The application of forensic science to the justice process should be led by independent experts, working in a quality controlled environment, to provide the best evidence for the courts. A system that allows the police to control the work of scientists, without having recourse to the expert opinion of those scientists before the work is carried out, should not be the way to go.
Gareth Bryon
Indeed the UK police approach to seeking quick results cheaply from forensic science may one day mean that the best opportunities to secure a conviction in a high-profile case may go out of the window, because other potential evidence is overlooked or not considered based on cost.
This couldn’t happen in the U.S., could it?
Gareth Bryon is a former Detective Chief Superintendent who worked as a senior officer in the South Wales Police and the British Transport Police, where he led major crime investigation and forensic science services for over 30 years.
Forensic Files 