IntegenX DNA Identification Device Hits a New Milestone

By Jay Hipps, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

When IntegenX first moved into Hacienda in 2009, the company was known as Microchip Biotechnologies and the ability to perform quick DNA analyses in a crime lab was strictly in the realm of TV fantasy. Thanks to the company's ingenuity and hard work, IntegenX's technology has gone from prototype to product, and findings from their RapidHIT Human DNA Identification System were recently used for the first time as evidence in court to help convict a suspect of attempted murder.

"It is tremendously gratifying to see our technology assist in the apprehension and conviction of dangerous criminals," said Robert Schueren, president and CEO of IntegenX. "This milestone enables other agencies using IntegenX technologies to proceed with confidence that Rapid DNA results can be used from the beginning of an investigation all the way through the judicial process."

The case unfolded in Richland County, South Carolina, where sheriff's deputies responded to a report of shots fired and located a victim with a gunshot wound. Later that same day, blood was noticed on the clothing of a man during a routine traffic stop, and samples were turned over to the Richland County Sherrif's Department (RCSD) Forensics Lab. Using the IntegenX RapidHIT system, samples from the suspect's clothing were matched to the victim, providing key evidence to RCSD investigators to link the suspect to the crime within hours of delivering the sample to the lab.

"The RapidHIT System enhances the level of service we are able to provide to investigators by automating the steps of conventional DNA analysis," said Dr. Gray Amick, DNA technical leader at the RCSD Forensics Lab. "The most recent milestone of presenting this data during a trial, to the satisfaction of the court, opens doors for how Rapid DNA can be used in future criminal investigations, both at this agency and at others in the country."

"DNA testing has increasingly become a critical tool in criminal investigations," said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. "The RapidHIT System enhances the utility of conventional DNA tests by making results available to our investigators within 2 hours of delivering a sample the RCSD Forensics Lab. This increase in speed has proven invaluable for our agency, both in terms of time savings and speeding up the criminal justice process."

The company's technology is advancing so quickly, in fact, that a centralized forensics lab is not always necessary for Rapid DNA analysis. In August, IntegenX introduced RapidHIT ID, a device with a footprint smaller than a desktop printer, designed to be used in virtually any setting.

The RapidHIT ID uses industry-standard chemistries to generate DNA profiles that are compatible with national DNA databases such as the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). The design advances in the new product also incorporate numerous efficiencies that make DNA profile generation more cost effective. As a result, testing can now take place in a wider variety of situations, such as in a law enforcement booking environment.

"IntegenX has delivered a 21st century solution for Rapid DNA testing closer to the point of action," explained Schueren. "This evolution of our established RapidHIT technology, which has been proven in numerous peer-reviewed publications, hundreds of database uploads and in the hands of numerous customers globally, is a dramatic advance forward in the democratization of forensic DNA testing."

For additional information on IntegenX or RapidHIT, access the company's web site at wwww.integenx.com.

Photo: IntegenX DNA Identification Device

Also in this issue...