DNA Profiling

DNA

Mar 17, 1953

– James Watson and Francis Crick identify structure of DNA.

Alec Jeffreys

Mar 22, 1977

Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys Joined the University of Leicester

human genetic variation

Mar 22, 1979

Professor Jeffreys is joint first to describe how to detect human genetic variation at the DNA level, and first to produce a pretty good estimate of how many sites in the genome, where genetic variation occurred

Restriction Fragment Length

Mar 17, 1984

Alec Jefferys discovers Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). RFLP breaks DNA into pieces and separates them using gel electrophoresis.

DNA profiling

Mar 17, 1985

UK police use first DNA profiling—a double murder investigation in a small Leicestershire town. Sir Alec Jeffreys concluded that a suspect held by police was not the attacker. However, in 1987, Jefferys conducted additional testing from a pool of 5,000 men and correctly identified the killer in the double murder. In 1988, the killer, Colin Pitchfork, was sentenced to life in prison.

DNA Fingerprinting

Mar 22, 1985

First immigration case solved by DNA fingerprinting
First paternity case solved by DNA fingerprinting
First identification of identical twins using DNA fingerprinting

Fingerprinting evidence

Mar 22, 1986

First criminal investigation to implement DNA fingerprinting evidence

Mutation

Mar 22, 1988

First detailed description of the rate of mutation in humans at the DNA level

Josef Mengele

Mar 22, 1992

Identification of Josef Mengele by DNA analysis from skeletal remains

Chernobyl disaster

Mar 22, 1996

Professor Jeffreys contributes to work by Professor Yuri Dubrova investigating mutations caused by the Chernobyl disaster

'Hotspot'

Mar 22, 1998

First to describe in detail what a recombination ‘hotspot’ is

HapMap Project

Mar 22, 2001

Work contributing to the ‘International HapMap Project’