NYC-WTC_000174805

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

AFIP Letter I Vol. 159, No. 5 / October 2001 5

provide DNA services to federal investigators in Pennsylvania. a STR system that analyzes nine loci on the DNA simulta­ Once the lab received approval to conduct DNA testing, Ross neously. This system also provides the capability to determine established the LISA program there as well, and by September gender. 17 collection.s were underway in the temporary morgue at In a like manner, DNA is also isolated from the reference Somerset. specimens and undergoes the same PCR and STR analysis Only a few months before, Boyer, Lee, and lames Canik, processes as the unknown samples from the crash site. Direct AFDIL’s deputy director, trained regional Disaster Mortuary references are samples taken directly from the victim, such as the Operational Response Team (DMORT) members in DNA bloodstain cards from the repository. Unknown samples that collecting procedures. Those same officials—forensic patholo­ produce the same DNA profile as the victim’s direct reference are gists, anthropologists, and dentists, along with Boyer and DNA considered a “DNA match.” Indirect references are reference analysts from AFDIL—worked together following the Pennsyl­ samples collected from immediate family members (mother, vania crash. “We father, children) of the victim. Parents actually the and their offspring share half of their DNA station up nuclear DNA. The DNA profile a.s part of the obtained from family members can be DMORT operation, used to reconstruct the DNA profile of and it went very the victim. well for being put The collection of reference samples for into practice for the the civilian victims proved to be a major first time.” undertaking. Canik led a combined team At AFDIL, DNA of personnel from AFIP and Walter scientists divided Reed Army Medical Center to establish into teams to handle a collections operation at the Pentagon the Pentagon and Yi Family Assistance Center (PFAC) in ■■ .s Somerset County Arlington, Va. The county coroner and cases. The AFDIL the FBI established a similar family expert,s worked to assistance center at generate a DNA I Somerset, Pa. For profile on each I those families not tissue specimen I immediately received, a.s well as developing a DNA I available, Canik profile on known reference specimens. I worked closely with For servicemembers, reference specimens I the FBI and local included the bloodstain earth on file at I. law enforcement AFRSSIR. For civilians (and ■j I agencies to identify servicemembers if necessary), .suitable and collect these reference specimens included tissue taken critical references. from biopsy specimens. Pap smears, hair I The AFIP team at from comb.s and brushes, extracted teeth, L( the PFAC collected and even saliva found on toothbrushes. Surviving family members also provided blood specimens to confirm a genetic ■ I

I: over 176 family references. Scientists identity. “The .surviving family members L then analyzed the are an important link to our process,” [' DNA profiles for a Boyer said. potential match and DNA i.s i,solated from the bone, tissue, In Se>/nerset, A f'/P Dave Boyer collects DNA samples (lop). reported their Below: FBI fingerprint sfaiion. hair, and teeth specimens by a commonly findings back to the used organic extraction process. Thi.s step i.s followed by use of forensic pathologists at Dover, or to the Somerset County the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which makes millions of coroner. AFDIL developed a computerized search program that copie.s of DNA identical to the original copy. PCR is often compares the DNA profiles generated from the reference speci­ described as being like a DNA photocopy machine. PCR is mens against the DNA profiles generated from the unknown particularly advantageous for samples that are minute or highly specimens, and provides the best fit match. AFDIL laboratory degraded. These conditions are the norm in cases that are either staff are hopeful that nearly all DNA identifications will be very old, or that have been exposed to severe environmental complete in the coining weeks. challenges such a.s heat and high impact forces. The PCR Boyer was extremely pleased with the total team effort, both at products are analyzed using short tandem repeat (STR) analysis. the morgues and in the laboratory. “It was invaluable for STRs are short stretches of a specific DNA sequence that are laboratory people to experience the front end of the DNA tandemly repeated throughout the nuclear genome. An identification program,” he said, “and I was impressed with the individual’.s “DNA type” is determined by the number of repeats amount of professionalism and dedication everyone from the an individual has at a given locus in the genome. AFDIL utilizes AFIP exhibited during this whole event.”

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