i3S in consortium to develop forensic technology for crimes and victim identification
The “ForMAT (Forensic Methylation Analysis Toolsets)” project, which includes the participation of the i3S, was recently approved for funding under a Horizon Europe call, within the CL3 (Civil Security for Society 2024) cluster, which received global funding of over 4.6 million euros. The project’s objective is to overcome the limitations of traditional genetic analysis methods and to develop several kits to address challenges in criminal cases, disaster victim identification, and legal age assessment in asylum processes.
The European consortium brings together 11 partners, including the i3S (which will receive over 210,000 euros) and the University of Minho. The project is coordinated by the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. At the i3S, the project will be led by researchers Catarina Xavier and Nádia Pinto, from the Population Genetics and Evolution group, which is part of the Models in Bioscience (MoBio) research line.
Catarina Xavier explains that this project is the result of a joint effort between research institutions, police forces, and forensic institutes, and it relies on an innovative approach that moves beyond conventional techniques, which are often insufficient in complex cases or with degraded samples. “Our proposal is based on the use of epigenetic markers based on DNA methylation (DNAm) as a predictive analysis tool in forensic applications.”
Building on the premise that many forensic cases do not yield identification through usual suspects or national DNA databases, the i3S researcher states, “the project proposes an alternative line of investigation, focused on estimating age and lifestyle, as well as predicting the type of tissue present in a biological stain of criminal interest.”
Nádia Pinto adds that this information “allows for the refinement of suspect profiles, accelerates the identification of victims in disaster situations, and facilitates the return of remains to families. In asylum requests, where proof of age can be decisive and is often carried out using radiographs, the ForMAT project emerges as a less invasive alternative, eliminating the need for radiation exposure or serving as a complement when doubts exist.”
Within the scope of this project, a set of specific DNAm kits and a predictive bioinformatics application will be developed, designed to support the work of forensic authorities in different contexts. These include a somatic DNAm kit for criminal investigation; a germline DNAm kit; a DNAm kit for disaster victim identification; and a legal (majority) DNAm kit for age assessment in asylum processes.
These kits, the i3S researchers explain, “take advantage of the latest NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) technologies, including second- and third-generation sequencing, allowing for high-precision analysis even with degraded DNA - a common situation in forensics.” The ForMAT project promises a decisive step forward in the advancement of legal medicine and forensic science, with a direct impact on criminal investigation and public security.
The i3S team will be involved in several phases of the project, namely in developing new age estimation tools based on quantitative DNA methylation analyses through NGS technologies, in creating statistical models for tissue type prediction, and in designing integrated bioinformatics tools. Finally, the i3S will also support the transfer of these tools to security forces through training and dissemination activities.
In this project, the i3S team will collaborate with Ipatimup Diagnósticos, in particular with the researcher Iva Gomes, who is responsible for the Forensic Genetics Unit. Iva Gomes, who is an integral member of the ForMAT project team, will contribute her vast experience in the study and application of molecular markers for tissue identification in the forensic context.