Forensic DNA Analysis is Topic of Free Public Lecture on 10 September

31 August 2007 —A free public lecture titled "DNA Cold Hits" will be given on 10 September 2007 by Mechthild Prinz, Director of the Forensic Biology Department in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City. 

The event is the first of four lectures in the fall 2007 Forensic Science Seminar Series at the Penn State University Park Campus. The lecture will begin at 12:20 p.m. in 113 Information Sciences and Technology (IST) Building.

Prinz will describe how scientists use DNA analysis to solve crimes, even in the absence of any investigative leads and as a powerful crime-prevention tool. An FBI database of more than 4.5 million convicted-offender DNA profiles allows state crime laboratories to search the database to find a "cold hit," or a match between the crime-scene profile and a convicted offender. If the offender is still in jail, the new offense could keep that person in jail longer. If the offender already has been released from prison, a “cold hit” could lead to reincarceration, preventing additional crimes.

For more information or access assistance, contact the Forensic Science Program by telephone at (814) 863-6758 or 867-0460.

[ M H / K D / B K K ]