Sketching suspects with DNA, and using light to find Zika-infected mosquitoes

Science Magazine Podcast

Science Podcast

News, News Commentary, Science

4.3 • 842 Ratings

🗓️ 24 May 2018

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

DNA fingerprinting has been used to link people to crimes for decades, by matching DNA from a crime scene to DNA extracted from a suspect. Now, investigators are using other parts of the genome—such as markers for hair and eye color—to help rule people in and out as suspects. Staff Writer Gretchen Vogel talks with Sarah Crespi about whether science supports this approach and how different countries are dealing with this new type of evidence. Sarah also talks with Jill Fernandes of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, about her Science Advances paper on a light-based technique for detecting Zika in mosquitoes. Instead of grinding up the bug and extracting Zika DNA, her group shines near-infrared light through the body. Mosquitoes carrying Zika transmit this light differently from uninfected ones. If it’s successful in larger trials, this technique could make large-scale surveillance of infected mosquitoes quicker and less expensive. In our monthly books segment, Jen Golbeck talks with author Sarah-Jayne Blakemore about her new work: Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain. You can check out more book reviews and share your thoughts on the Books et al. blog. This week’s episode was edited by Podigy. Listen to previous podcasts. [Image: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health; Music: Jeffrey Cook] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	This podcast is supported by the Icon School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,
0:04.0	the academic arm of the Mount Sinai health system in New York City,
0:07.5	and one of America's leading research medical schools.
0:10.7	What are scientists and clinicians working on to improve medical care and health for women?
0:15.5	Find out in a special supplement to Science magazine prepared by the Icon School of Medicine
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0:27.0	of Medical Research-Dash-Womeness Health. The Icon School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, we find a way.
0:33.3	Morgan State University, a Baltimore, Maryland-Karnege R2 doctoral research institution,
0:39.2	offers more than 100 academic programs and awards degrees at the baccalaureate,
0:44.0	master's, and doctoral levels, is furthering their mission of growing the future, leading
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0:54.4	With a four-year quadrupling of research, more than a dozen new doctoral programs,
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1:07.4	To learn more about Morgan and their ascension to R1, visit morgan.edu slash research.
1:17.6	Welcome to the science podcast for May 25, 2018. I'm Sarah Crespi. In this week's show,
1:26.7	staff writer Gretchen Vogel is here with a story on using genetic information for forensic purposes.
1:33.5	This is things like taking DNA from a crime scene and using it to tell what color a suspect's eyes might be.
1:41.1	Jill Fernandez is here to talk about her research from science advances that looks into
1:45.5	testing mosquitoes for Zika on the cheek by shining infrared light on them. And in our monthly
1:52.5	book segment, Jennifer Goldback talks with Sarah Jane Blakemore about her book, Inventing
1:57.2	Ourselves, the Secret life of the teenage brain.
	...

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