Where is information about DNA stored and processed? Who identifies matches and how?
Kaufmann visited KRIPOS' department responsible for DNA matters Photo: UiO
Mareile Kaufmann visited Norway’s Crime Investigation Service to establish contact with the central hub for DNA questions in crime investigations. A special department at the Norwegian police is exclusively dealing with DNA data. DNA samples are analyzed in a laboratory and then sent to the police, where they are stored and processed. The department works with different aspects, such as the communication with laboratories and the identification of DNA matches. It collects and provides DNA-related information to the investigators and coordinate the use of CODIS – a system for DNA storage and information exchange created by the FBI.
In the meeting, Kaufmann talked about her model of the DNA life cycle and the issues that Digital DNA will focus on.
- The life cycle is a theory and a thinking tool, so Kaufmann.
- It can be used to identify those points in the life of a DNA sample that need more attention by researchers and practitioners. It can help raising awareness about the ways in which DNA processing changes when it is done with digital technologies.
The communication with the department will continue throughout the project. Turid Haugen Thor, the key contact for questions about CODIS, is a Project Associate.