The bioprofiling of illicit drugs: Research summary

This report investigates whether illicit drugs contain traces of biological material that potentially contain DNA, such as micro-organisms, plant remains and other cellular material. It aims to identify DNA sequences present in four different drug types (heroin, methylamphetamine, ecstasy and LSD). It also sought to detect similarities between the drugs to determine whether there were common sources. The researchers aimed to develop a profiling technique based on DNA arrays and ATNA-SMIPS technology. This summary includes the key findings of report and implications for police.