INTERPOL Review of Forensic Biology and DNA, 2023-2025

Published

June 14, 2026

Author(s)

John Butler

Abstract

As a part of the 21st INTERPOL International Forensic Science Managers Symposium, this work explores the latest scientific developments, methodologies, and trends in forensic biology and forensic DNA analysis of biological evidence during the years 2023 to 2025 and builds upon previous INTERPOL DNA reviews. Almost 2,000 references covering the three year time range of this review were located via various online searches including use of Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. The scientific articles, which originated from more than 300 different journals, were curated in a Zotero reference manager database (see Supplemental File 1) and sorted into 15 topics and 116 sub-topics (see Supplemental File 2) under sections focused on advances in current practices (Section 3) and emerging technologies and research studies (Section 4). This triennial review describes 24 books and major reports, 20 special issues of journals on aspects of forensic DNA, 292 articles from two International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG) conference proceedings, and 70 guidance documents from 17 different organizations to assist in quality DNA testing. Publications were evaluated and sorted into 10 topics around advances in current practices and 5 topics related to emerging technologies and research studies. These topics, which are further sub-divided in a compiled list (see Supplemental File 2) included rapid DNA analysis; law enforcement DNA databases and ethics; forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG); forensic biology and body fluid identification; DNA processing; DNA typing with short tandem repeat (STR) markers; DNA interpretation at the source or sub-source level of the hierarchy of propositions along with mixture interpretation using probabilistic genotyping software (PGS); DNA interpretation at the activity level along with aspects of DNA transfer, persistence, prevalence, and recovery (TPPR); statistics and population genetic data; human identification and kinship analysis; next-generation sequencing (NGS) and technology developments; forensic DNA phenotyping (FDP) and methylation; lineage markers (Y-chromosome, mitochondrial DNA, X-chromosome analyses); new markers and approaches (microhaplotypes, insertion/deletion markers, proteomics, microbiome, single cell analysis, using environmental DNA, and biomarkers for sudden death, molecular autopsy, or post-mortem interval); and non-human DNA testing and wildlife forensics. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools for summarizing references were explored and utilized in performing this extensive review of over 1,900 publications.

Citation

Forensic Science International: Synergy

Volume

13

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsisyn.2026.100705

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Keywords

DNA, forensic biology, forensic DNA, INTERPOL review

Citation

Butler, J. (2026), INTERPOL Review of Forensic Biology and DNA, 2023-2025, Forensic Science International: Synergy, [online], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsisyn.2026.100705, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=961367 (Accessed July 31, 2026)

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