Marie Allen – New methods for improved forensic and historical DNA analysis
Our research aims to develop highly sensitive and discriminating assays for forensic DNA analysis of challenging samples.
Evidence samples found at a crime scene have often been subjected to harsh environments and may thus have degraded as well as minute amounts of DNA. Our research involves developing typing assays to analyse mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) markers. Using mtDNA markers will allow a highly sensitive analysis due to the high number of mtDNA copies per cell. In addition, nDNA markers, amplified in very short PCR fragments, will yield a high discrimination power than the mtDNA analysis.
Analyses of challenging DNA samples
Several new assays have been developed in our research group and used successfully to analyse challenging evidence material in forensic cases. In several projects, we use traditional molecular biology methods and next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies for DNA analysis of degraded, limited and damaged samples.
Our novel methods have been used to investigate the putative remains of St. Birgitta and her daughter Katarina, Nicolaus Copernicus, Carin Göring, and the Swedish Warship Vasa as an ultimate test for success analysing challenging samples. We have also analysed even older remains in a large collaboration project where samples from Viking-age boat graves found on the island of Salme in Estonia were investigated for ancestry, appearance and familial relationships.
Group members
Publications
Part of Genes, 2024
Complete Mitochondrial DNA Genome Variation in the Swedish Population
Part of Genes, p. 1989-1989, 2023
Part of Forensic Science International, 2023
- DOI for Forensic prediction of sex, age, height, body mass index, hip-to-waist ratio, smoking status and lipid lowering drugs using epigenetic markers and plasma proteins
- Download full text (pdf) of Forensic prediction of sex, age, height, body mass index, hip-to-waist ratio, smoking status and lipid lowering drugs using epigenetic markers and plasma proteins
The DNA-Buster: The evaluation of an alternative DNA recovery approach
Part of Forensic Science International, 2023
Evaluation of Different Cleaning Strategies for Removal of Contaminating DNA Molecules
Part of Genes, 2022
Part of International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022
- DOI for The Value of Whole-Genome Sequencing for Mitochondrial DNA Population Studies: Strategies and Criteria for Extracting High-Quality Mitogenome Haplotypes
- Download full text (pdf) of The Value of Whole-Genome Sequencing for Mitochondrial DNA Population Studies: Strategies and Criteria for Extracting High-Quality Mitogenome Haplotypes
Part of Forensic Science International, 2020
Population genomics of the Viking world
Part of Nature, p. 390-+, 2020
Mitochondrial DNA analysis of a Viking age mass grave in Sweden
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 268-274, 2019
Evaluation of the precision ID whole MtDNA genome panel for forensic analyses
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 21-25, 2018
Results of a collaborative study on DNA identification of aged bone samples
Part of Croatian Medical Journal, p. 203-213, 2017
Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA from a Burned, Ninhydrin-Treated Paper Towel
Part of Journal of Forensic Sciences, p. 828-832, 2016
Comparison of DNA polymerases for improved forensic analysis of challenging samples
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 55-59, 2016
Multiplex pyrosequencing of InDel markers for forensic DNA analysis
Part of Electrophoresis, p. 3039-3045, 2016
Origin of the U87MG glioma cell line: Good news and bad news
Part of Science Translational Medicine, 2016
Part of Legal Medicine, p. 539-546, 2015
Forensic Analysis of Mitochondrial and Autosomal Markers Using Pyrosequencing®.
Part of Methods in Molecular Biology, p. 379-396, 2015
Part of Acta Paediatrica, p. 910-915, 2015
Collecting and Preserving Biological Samples from Challenging Environments for DNA Analysis
Part of Biopreservation and Biobanking, p. 17-22, 2014
Evaluation of the Impact of Different Visualization Techniques on DNA in Fingerprints
Part of Journal of Forensic Identification, p. 189-204, 2013
Mitochondrial DNA analysis of Swedish population samples
Part of International journal of legal medicine, p. 1097-1099, 2013
Part of Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology, p. 11-18, 2012
An Analysis of the Alleged Skeletal Remains of Carin Göring
Part of PLOS ONE, 2012
Part of PLOS ONE, 2012
Part of Läkartidningen, p. 39-39, 2012
Part of Open Forensic Science Journal, p. 13-22, 2012
Analysis of the putative remains of a European patron saint--St. Birgitta
Part of PLoS ONE, 2010
Forensic analysis of autosomal STR markers using Pyrosequencing
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 122-129, 2010
Part of BioTechniques, p. 671-678, 2009
Genetic identification of putative remains of the famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus
Part of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, p. 12279-12282, 2009
Y chromosomal STR analysis using Pyrosequencing technology
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 119-124, 2009
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 1-8, 2008
Part of BMC Cancer, p. 214, 2008
SNP typing using Molecular Inversion Probes
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 473-475, 2008
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 35-43, 2007
Part of Journal of Forensic Sciences, p. 937-938, 2006
Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA quantification of various forensic materials
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 56-64, 2006
Quantification of mtDNA mixtures in forensic evidence material using pyrosequencing
Part of International journal of legal medicine, p. 383-390, 2006
Sensitive forensic analysis using the Pyrosequencing technology
Part of Progress in Forensic Genetics, p. 625-627, 2006
STR sequence variants revealed by Pyrosequencing technology
Part of Excerpta Medica, p. 669-671, 2006
A DNA microarray system for forensic SNP analysis
Part of Forensic Science International, p. 111-121, 2005
Forensic analysis of the mitochondrial coding region and association to disease.
Part of International journal of legal medicine, p. 314-315, 2005
Forensic casework analysis using the HVI/HVII mtDNA linear array assay.
Part of Journal of Forensic Sciences, p. 548-554, 2005
Mitochondrial D-loop and coding sequence analysis using pyrosequencing
Part of Methods in Molecular Biology, p. 179-196, 2005
Universal tag arrays in forensic SNP analysis.
Part of Methods in Molecular Biology, p. 141-154, 2005
Analysis of the mitochondrial genome in sudden infant death syndrome.
Part of Acta Paediatr, p. 386, 2003
Rapid quantification and sex determination of forensic evidence materials
Part of Journal of Forensic Sciences, p. 1280-1287, 2003
Mitochondrial sequence analysis for forensic identification using pyrosequencing technology.
Part of Biotechniques, p. 124, 2002
Mitochondrial sequence analysis for forensic identification using Pyrosequencing technology
Part of BioTechniques, p. 124-6, 128, 130-3, 2002
Real-Time DNA Quantification of Nuclear and Mitochondrial DNA in Forensic Analysis
Part of BioTechniques, p. 402-411, 2002
Part of Journal of Forensic Sciences, p. 1210-1231, 2000
Part of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, p. 1722-1728, 1999
Part of Hereditas, p. 161-167, 1998
Part of Journal of Forensic Sciences, p. 453-464, 1998
Part of Tissue Antigens, p. 32-37, 1996
Allele-specific HLA-DRB1 amplification of forensic evidence samples with mixed genotypes
Part of BioTechniques, p. 454-463, 1995
Analysis of HLA-Class II DQA1, DQB1, DRB1 and DPB1 in Italian Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Part of European journal of immunogenetics, p. 171-178, 1995
A comprehensive polymerase chain reaction-oligonucleotide typing system for the HLA class I A locus
Part of Human Immunology, p. 25-32, 1994
Part of Human Immunology, p. 41-8, 1994
PCR-based DNA typing of saliva on stamps and envelopes
Part of BioTechniques, p. 546-552, 1994
Frequency of four cystic fibrosis mutations in a Swedish population
Part of Acta Paediatrica, p. 609, 1993
Genetic typing of HLA class II genes in Swedish populations: application to forensic analysis
Part of Journal of Forensic Sciences, p. 554-70, 1993
Sequencing of in vitro amplified DNA
Part of Methods in Enzymology, p. 3-16, 1993
Part of PCR methods and applications, p. 91-8, 1991
Screening for the major cystic fibrosis mutation in non-Caucasian populations
Part of American Journal of Human Genetics, p. 903-4, 1991