DNA Identifications after the 9/11 World Trade Center Attack

The attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 challenged current approaches to forensic DNA typing methods. The large number of victims and the extreme thermal and physical conditions of the site necessitated special approaches to the DNA-based identification. Because of these and many additiona...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2005-11, Vol.310 (5751), p.1122-1123
Main Authors: Biesecker, Leslie G., Bailey-Wilson, Joan E., Ballantyne, Jack, Baum, Howard, Bieber, Frederick R., Brenner, Charles, Budowle, Bruce, Butler, John M., Carmody, George, Conneally, P. Michael, Duceman, Barry, Eisenberg, Arthur, Forman, Lisa, Kidd, Kenneth K., Leclair, Benoît, Niezgoda, Steven, Parsons, Thomas J., Pugh, Elizabeth, Shaler, Robert, Sherry, Stephen T., Sozer, Amanda, Walsh, Anne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Casualties
Company business management
Computer Software
Data Analysis
Death
DNA
DNA fingerprinting
DNA identification
DNA testing
Epidemiology
Family Involvement
Family Relationship
Forensic genetics
Forensic sciences
Genetic testing
Genetics
Genotypes
Human remains
Identification
Kinship
Management
Methods
Mitochondrial DNA
Persuasive Discourse
Policy Forum
Probability
Profiles
Quality Control
Terrorism
Victim identification
Victims
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Summary:The attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 challenged current approaches to forensic DNA typing methods. The large number of victims and the extreme thermal and physical conditions of the site necessitated special approaches to the DNA-based identification. Because of these and many additional challenges, new procedures were created or modified from routine forensic protocols. This effort facilitated the identification of 1594 of the 2749 victims. In this Policy Forum, the authors, who were were members of the World Trade Center Kinship and Data Analysis Panel, review the lessons of the attack response from the perspective of DNA forensic identification and suggest policies and procedures for future mass disasters or large-scale terrorist attacks.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1116608