Date of Submission

5-5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Advisor

Heather Coyle

Keywords

DNA, forensic phenotyping, microspectrophotometry, SNP testing

LCSH

DNA--analysis, microspectrophotometry

Abstract

Forensic DNA phenotyping and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) testing has been a recent tool practiced in the field of forensic science, especially for identification purposes. DNA phenotyping had drawn debate in terms of its legislation and use, as it is practiced more in private sectors compared to local, state and federal laboratories (Schneider et al., 2019). When looking at specific SNPs, some are better associated in accurately predicating phenotypes for hair and eye color than others. Microspectrophotometry was combined with SNP testing in this study to determine if there was an improved accuracy in determination of genetic hair color vs dyed hair samples. Forty-one samples comprised of European descent participants who selfidentified their hair color to be red, blond, brown or dyed red were collected and analyzed. SNP rs1805007 associated with the red hair phenotype and genotypes TT, CT and CC were examined, along with the various transmission spectra produced for each hair sample from a microspectrophotometer. Through the use of instrumentation and color examination, the phenotypic determination of hair was predicted using obtained data and compared amongst a SNP test. The SNP results, microspectrophotomoter spectra transmission results, microscopic images of each hair sample and the participant’s self-identification photograph were compared for phenotype prediction and classification accuracy.

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