Unlocking the Future: How AFDIL’s SNP Advancements are Revolutionizing DNA Technology

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. – The Department of Defense (DoD) DNA Operations team is taking DNA analysis to new heights. They excel in understanding and using DNA to identify military service members from past conflicts.

It’s impressive how trained scientists at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) perform what can seem like miracles every day. They tackle the challenge of analyzing DNA that has often degraded significantly over time.

Dr. Tim McMahon, Director of DoD DNA Operations, explains, “Much of the DNA we work with is damaged. Traditional identification methods just don’t cut it.” He compares it to working with DNA that is older than Neanderthals, emphasizing the difficulty of their task.

But the AFDIL team doesn’t back down. They innovate, developing new techniques to help identify unknown service members. The Emerging Technologies (ETS) team plays a crucial role in this.

Courtney Cavagnino, a Research Scientist on the ETS team, says, “We look for better ways to analyze samples. Our goal is to streamline lab work and make the transition to new methods smoother.”

One groundbreaking method they’re working with is Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) capture, which is set to reshape DNA identification. This method builds on earlier research from 2016 and focuses on high-quality analysis of nuclear DNA.

In collaboration with Parabon NanoLabs, AFDIL has developed a powerful new software package to support this analysis. This allows them to predict kinship using DNA samples from family members.

The validation process for this method, which began in 2022, involved a dedicated team of analysts working hard to meet forensic standards. Jacqueline Tyler Thomas, a Research Associate at ETS, mentions the need to test many different samples to cover various ancestral backgrounds.

These new methods now meet strict standards, providing DNA statistics that exceed those from typical crime labs. Dr. Charla Marshall, Deputy Director of DNA Operations, notes that their work is different from forensic genetic genealogy, as it offers statistically supported identifications rather than just leads.

Megan Poffenberger, a Supervisory DNA Analyst, adds that the SNP capture process is efficient, taking as little as two weeks from extraction to analysis. They are already using this data for kinship predictions.

Dr. Kim Andreaggi, Chief of ETS, expresses pride in their decade-long journey to develop these methods. “We’ve put in countless hours, and it’s rewarding to see it all come together.”

Time is of the essence for families waiting for answers. With the new SNP capture method, AFDIL aims to improve the speed of DNA identifications, helping the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency reach its goal of 200 identifications a year.

Dr. McMahon sums it up well: while many focus on the technology and machinery in the labs, the real magic happens through the creativity and dedication of the staff. As he says, “These young heroes are here to give names back to our fallen soldiers.”