Date of Submission

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Forensic Science

Department

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Heather Miller Coyle, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Carol Ritter, M.S.

Committee Member

Laura Combs, A.S.

Keywords

Diamond™ Nucleic Acid Dye, Operational Casework, Trace DNA, Blind Swabbing, Fingerprint Powder, Degradation Index

MeSH

Forensic medicine, DNA, Fluorescent dyes, Dermatoglyphics, Specimen handling, DNA damage

LCSH

Forensic sciences, Fluorescent probes, Fingerprints, Diagnostic specimens--Collection and preservation, Biometry

Abstract

This study aims to test the effectiveness of Diamond™ Nucleic Acid Dye (DD) in an operational casework study. By sticking to the exterior of cellular material in damaged cells or by incorporation into nuclei in undamaged cells, trace DNA molecules are visualized through the fluorescence of DD. DD offers a possibility to more easily recover crucial trace DNA of evidentiary value by improved visualization of the DNA on surfaces. While DD is an emerging material that is gaining traction in the research world, past studies haven't looked at DD in a more operational casework setting. To meet this demand, this paper will place standards to test DD in a scenario closer to that of a real-world evidentiary sample and lab analysis workflow. The analysis done by the co­ principal investigator (Co-PI) will be done blindly. The principal investigator (PI) will run all sample collections alongside the Co-PI with participants and when evidence is being handled, the PI will observe the session, so the Co-PI may step out, until returning to package all materials. This ensures the Co-PI has no prior knowledge of any specific contact participants made with the materials. This is unlike most visualizations' studies, where DD was applied to materials where contact was already known and established. While important, this lacks any operational advantage, as it doesn't test DD in conditions mimicking real world evidence processing. To compare between two other processing methods, evidence will also be processed using blind swabbing and fingerprint powder. Blind swabbing is the most common method, which includes swabbing for trace DNA collection based on any contextual clues to best assume where an individual may have touched. Fingerprint powder will be used to dust for prints and then swabs will be collected from any visualized prints, under the assumption that anywhere with prints would also have some amount of trace DNA. Using a wet/dry swabbing technique, cell counts will be performed both through a unique visualization rating scale to score images. DNA extraction will occur to perform quantification resulting in data regarding DNA quantity, the degradation index (DI), recovery values (RV) and male/female percentage of DNA recovered to compare by using a student t-test statistical analysis.

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