DNA testing... How long does it take?

reply to post by wearewatchingyouman


With already existing samples probably a few hours...

Originally posted by alyoshablue
reply to post by wearewatchingyouman

 

I would agree. I think if they had the resources to their disposal, probably a day. However, one interest to note is that you can perform two types of DNA tests, mitochondrial and nuclear tests. During the briefing, they said, "Familial" DNA test - what is that?

Familial dna testing is where you have a dna sample from a family member of the person you want tested.

People tend to forget that Dna labs that most agencies and public use have a back log, usually delay is due to the samples waiting to be tested.

What we need is someone who works in this industry to tell us the exact time the lab test takes, I am sure the CIA does not use the same labs as everyone else and have to wait in line with the rest.

Originally posted by Becoming
reply to post by sprtpilot

 

From what I have read there was about 40 seals who conducted the raid, so you are right they wouldn't use only 2 helos.

With that many people conducting the raid they probably went in by air and ground (think blackhawk down). That would make more sense.

As for DNA tests are concerned. They can be done in as little as 12 hours as was the case of Saddam. There was even an article concerning this very same thing in his case.

www.wired.com...

So it is possible to conduct a dna test if you have a sample handy as we apparently did with Bin Laden.

Well I guess that answers that question... thank you... exactly the kind of info I was looking for....

reply to post by Becoming


No, I get that. But, where else would DNA testing come from, but your family. However, mtDNA tests are the best, versus the familial, since with the later, you have do build a family tree of DNA tests and compare to the sample.

Just an odd point.

It is possible for DNA to prove that two samples are NOT from the same person in hours. Proving they ARE from the same person takes much longer. Proving they are from blood relatives takes longer still. The longer the test takes, the greater the certainty.

According to a a 10-year-old MINCAVA article

"Steps are now underway to realize the potential of field testing DNA evidence. Recently, a truly portable microchip-based prototype field-testing instrument has been developed. The instrument, which produces findings within 30 minutes, is currently being upgraded and made available commercially. The National Institute of Justice is sponsoring the developments of other types of portable field instruments." (Weed &Hicks, 1997, p.20)"

Why haven't we heard more about this? I suspect it was a fraud intended to help police collect blood samples to be tested later. If there was any truth to the story, it must have become top secret for some reason.

EDIT: Here's more detail on that technology .


And here's an update from 2005 .


Maybe that initial report was just overly optimistic hype.

Originally posted by Phractal Phil
Why haven't we heard more about this? I suspect it was a fraud intended to help police collect blood samples to be tested later. If there was any truth to the story, it must have become top secret for some reason.

Such things have existed for a while. Take, for instance, the Illumina Eco Real-Time PCR system:



Results in 40 minutes from a device roughly the size of a microwave oven.