Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-15 18:09:03
The Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) is in the process of building a forensic reference DNA database that will assist the government in tracking down murder suspects, missing persons, disaster victims, and sex offenders. Over the last three years, the institute has been collecting samples from consenting individuals across 20 ethno-linguistic groups in five coastal counties – Kwale, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Tana River, and Lamu.
Leading the project is Ms. Eva Aluvaala-Nambati, a scientist at Kemri, who reflected on the efforts to collect DNA from Kenyans of all ethnicities over the past three years. The collection has resulted in a total of 323 samples from the region, with 131 samples having been analyzed thus far. It was noted that 98 percent of the donors were over the age of 18, and data on marital status, occupation, education level, chronic diseases, family history, smoking habits, and alcohol consumption was also collected.
During the ongoing 14th Kemri Annual Scientific and Health Conference, Ms. Aluvaala-Nambati shared information about the use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in creating the database. MtDNA is attractive to scientists due to its high copy number in cells, maternal inheritance, and high mutation rate – making it an essential tool in resolving criminal cases and identifying disaster victims.
The database’s purpose is to estimate the frequency of genotypes and haplotypes in forensic cases, which is critical in determining the strength of evidence. High-quality population-based databases are essential for reliable frequency estimates, especially in random match scenarios. Additionally, the database will facilitate the identification of unknown decedents and link them to their relatives.
The samples were collected from various ethnic groups including Malakote, Shirazi, Taita, Changaye, Wakifundi, Taveta, Makonde, Pemba, Segeju, Boni, Pokomo, Vumba, Sambaa, Pare, Chagaa, Zigua, Tswaka, Digo, Duruma, Ribe, Giriama, Kambe, Chonyi, Kauma, Jibana, Rabai, Bajuni, and Swahili. The goal is to create a comprehensive database that accurately represents the diversity of the Kenyan population.
Ms. Aluvaala-Nambati explained that MtDNA, with its unique features and maternal inheritance pattern, offers the ability to establish maternal family ties. She highlighted its use in inferring biogeographic ancestry and the potential for identifying maternally related individuals, especially in cold cases and disaster victim identification.
The significance of the database cannot be overstated, as it promises to revolutionize forensic investigations and provide scientific support in resolving criminal cases and identifying missing persons. The use of mtDNA in building this database reflects the Kemri’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge scientific techniques in addressing societal challenges.
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