Life Technologies forensic kit approved by FBI

Life Technologies Corporation, a global biotechnology company, has announced that its GlobalFiler Express Kit has been approved by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for use by laboratories generating DNA profiles for inclusion in the National DNA Index System (NDIS) CODIS Database. NDIS manages the federal CODIS forensic DNA database, which facilitates the electronic comparison and exchange of DNA profiles between participating local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies and forensic laboratories. 

The kit is the first NDIS-approved, fully validated six-dye system. It can be used for the rapid analysis of forensic DNA samples, delivering sample-to-answer in 2 h. The product provides the ability to increase the number of genetic markers obtained from forensic samples by more than 30% to 24, with a processing time said to be five times faster than other solutions currently available. 

“Obtaining NDIS approval is an important part of Life Technologies’ commitment to provide superior, rapid DNA technologies to the law enforcement community worldwide,” said Nadia Altomare, Vice President and General Manager for Life Technologies Human Identification Business. “The GlobalFiler Express Kit has proven to be a transformative solution for forensic labs because of its speed and power in comparing DNA data, which ultimately leads to solving and preventing more crimes.”

“DNA examiners were able to use the GlobalFiler Express Kit to process a known reference sample from the suspect in a fraction of the time. This allowed the laboratory to connect a suspect to forensic evidence of an unknown sexual assault case,” said Kris Cano, Forensic Laboratory Manager, Scottsdale Police Department Crime Laboratory. “The GlobalFiler Express Kit is going to be an important tool for law enforcement to ensuring public safety.”

To date, 44 countries have now implemented criminal offender DNA database programs. The GlobalFiler Express Kit is said to be the only commercially available forensic genotyping kit that contains all markers recommended for inclusion by the CODIS Core Loci Working Group, including all markers commonly used in most international databases.

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