Hallym-Uppsala: Genetics, medicine and AI in legal cases
Marie Allen, Professor at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, is one of the organisers of the meeting Hallym-Uppsala International Symposium – AI in Healthcare, which is arranged on 13 September. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt.
Marie Allen, Professor of Forensic Genetics, has for many years studied methods for DNA profiling samples that are challenging, for example, traces from crime scenes. With new knowledge about our genome and the latest technological developments, DNA analyses from crime samples can provide information about the physical appearance of a perpetrator. Together with other researchers, she is now studying the significance of new types of evidence in criminal investigations and the legal process.
Few people can have missed that the police use DNA analyses of traces found at a crime scene in their investigations. By determining a DNA profile from the evidence material, it can be compared with the DNA profiles of suspects to either link them to the crime or exclude them as suspects.
“Forensic DNA analyses often work well, but sometimes it is very difficult to obtain a good DNA profile from traces collected in crime scene investigations. They often contain very small amounts of biological material and may also have degraded DNA. My research group is improving the analytical methods used to examine these kinds of challenging samples. The police usually ask for our help a few times a year, for example to determine the DNA profile from lost hairs, traces often found at a crime scene but difficult to analyse,” Marie Allen says.
More recent developments in forensic genetics now allow the investigation of genetic markers for appearance, thereby predicting external visible characteristics such as hair colour, eye colour, skin colour and freckles.
“These are fascinating analyses because we can help the police with investigative information even if they don’t have a suspect. For example, suppose the DNA analysis shows that the person of interest is very likely blue-eyed with brown hair. In that case, it can reduce the number of people to investigate, interrogate or DNA test.”
Marie Allen is one of the organisers of the meeting Hallym-Uppsala International Symposium – AI in Healthcare, which is arranged on 13 September. There she will present the challenges in forensic genetic analyses and the work in the multidisciplinary research environment EB-CRIME.
“In EB-CRIME, I collaborate with researchers in many areas, such as law, forensic medicine, information technology and psychology. We are studying sources of errors in different types of evidence and investigating, for example, how DNA analyses that provide information about appearance or age can be used in criminal investigations. We also study AI-assisted forensic methods, both how well they work, and how they may be used in courts in the future.”
During the symposium, researchers from Uppsala and South Korea will present various aspects of how AI can be used in medical science. The theme relates to Marie Allen’s research in EB-CRIME, and she believes that the visit from South Korea can have a great impact on the collaboration between the universities.
“Likewise, my research area can also benefit from continued collaboration with Hallym. I look forward to receiving their delegation and hearing about their research in the field of AI,” she concludes.