: The importance of non-human DNA in the forensic field has increased greatly in recent years, together with the type of applications. The molecular species identification of animal and botanical material may be crucial both for wildlife trafficking and crime scene investigation. However, especially for forensic botany, several challenges slow down the implementation of the discipline in the routine.Although the importance of molecular analysis of animal origin samples is widely recognized and the same value is acknowledged to the botanical counterpart, the latter does not find the same degree of application.The availability of molecular methods, especially useful in cases where the material is fragmented, scarce or spoiled preventing the morphological identification, is not well known. This work is intended to reaffirm the relevance of non-human forensic genetics (NHFG), highlighting differences, benefits and pitfalls of the current most common molecular analysis workflow for animal and botanical samples, giving a practical guide. A flowchart describing the analysis paths, divided in three major working areas (inspection and sampling, molecular analysis, data processing and interpretation), is provided. More real casework examples of the utility of non-human evidence in forensic investigations should be shared by the scientific community, especially for plants. Moreover, concrete efforts to encourage initiatives in order to promote quality and standardization in the NHFG field are also needed.

Forensic species identification: practical guide for animal and plant DNA analysis / Corradini, Beatrice; Gianfreda, Denise; Ferri, Gianmarco; Ferrari, Francesca; Borciani, Ilaria; Santunione, Anna Laura; Cecchi, Rossana. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE. - ISSN 0937-9827. - (2024), pp. 1-10. [10.1007/s00414-024-03284-2]

Forensic species identification: practical guide for animal and plant DNA analysis

Corradini, Beatrice
;
Gianfreda, Denise;Ferri, Gianmarco;Borciani, Ilaria;Santunione, Anna Laura;Cecchi, Rossana
2024

Abstract

: The importance of non-human DNA in the forensic field has increased greatly in recent years, together with the type of applications. The molecular species identification of animal and botanical material may be crucial both for wildlife trafficking and crime scene investigation. However, especially for forensic botany, several challenges slow down the implementation of the discipline in the routine.Although the importance of molecular analysis of animal origin samples is widely recognized and the same value is acknowledged to the botanical counterpart, the latter does not find the same degree of application.The availability of molecular methods, especially useful in cases where the material is fragmented, scarce or spoiled preventing the morphological identification, is not well known. This work is intended to reaffirm the relevance of non-human forensic genetics (NHFG), highlighting differences, benefits and pitfalls of the current most common molecular analysis workflow for animal and botanical samples, giving a practical guide. A flowchart describing the analysis paths, divided in three major working areas (inspection and sampling, molecular analysis, data processing and interpretation), is provided. More real casework examples of the utility of non-human evidence in forensic investigations should be shared by the scientific community, especially for plants. Moreover, concrete efforts to encourage initiatives in order to promote quality and standardization in the NHFG field are also needed.
2024
1
10
Forensic species identification: practical guide for animal and plant DNA analysis / Corradini, Beatrice; Gianfreda, Denise; Ferri, Gianmarco; Ferrari, Francesca; Borciani, Ilaria; Santunione, Anna Laura; Cecchi, Rossana. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE. - ISSN 0937-9827. - (2024), pp. 1-10. [10.1007/s00414-024-03284-2]
Corradini, Beatrice; Gianfreda, Denise; Ferri, Gianmarco; Ferrari, Francesca; Borciani, Ilaria; Santunione, Anna Laura; Cecchi, Rossana
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Forensic species identification_practical guide for animal and plant_IJLM.pdf

Open access

Tipologia: Versione pubblicata dall'editore
Dimensione 1.88 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.88 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Licenza Creative Commons
I metadati presenti in IRIS UNIMORE sono rilasciati con licenza Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal, mentre i file delle pubblicazioni sono rilasciati con licenza Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionale (CC BY 4.0), salvo diversa indicazione.
In caso di violazione di copyright, contattare Supporto Iris

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1347346
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 0
  • Scopus 0
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 0
social impact