Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Socio-technical disagreements as ethical fora: Parabon NanoLab’s forensic DNA Snapshot™ service at the intersection of discourses around robust science, technology validation, and commerce

  • Original Article
  • Published:
BioSocieties Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

DNA profiling and databasing technologies have become integral to criminal justice practices in many countries, and their reliability is now rarely challenged. However, a new set of forensic genetics technologies has emerged, one of which is forensic DNA phenotyping (FDP). FDP aims to infer a person’s visible traits from DNA, and to predict biogeographical ancestry, in order to provide intelligence for difficult investigations. Debates around FDP have been largely academic and legal, but in some countries they have become of public interest. Here, many scientists and practitioners tend to avoid publically articulating disagreement about the limitations of such technologies. This paper attends to a rare public disagreement about technoscientific practices in the wider forensic genetics community about a commercial forensic service called Snapshot™ which utilises FDP. Its analysis of scientists’ ethical reasoning about the development and use of this set of technologies contributes to understanding the political economy of forensic genetics, at the intersection of scientific ethics, forensic practice, and commercial resources that make visible and enable further scientific research in the field. More widely, this paper proposes that attending to public ethical debates such as this offers much-needed insight into the various intersecting stakes that co-constitute emerging technologies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Source Parabon NanoLabs (2017)

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Augenstein, S. 2016. Parabon, leader in DNA phenotyping, creating next-gen software platform, Forensicmag, 29 November. https://www.forensicmag.com/news/2016/11/parabon-leader-dna-phenotyping-creating-next-gen-software-platform. Accessed 13 July 2017.

  • Balding, D.J. 2013. Evaluation of mixed-source, low-template DNA profiles in forensic science. PNAS 110 (30): 12241–12246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buchanan, N., et al. 2018. Forensic DNA phenotyping legislation cannot be based on “Ideal FDP”: A response to Caliebe, Krawczak and Kayser (2017). Forensic Science International: Genetics 34: e13–e14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Børsting, C., and N. Morling. 2015. Next generation sequencing and its applications in forensic genetics. Forensic Science International: Genetics 18: 78–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caliebe, A., M. Krawczak, and M. Kayser. 2018. Predictive values in Forensic DNA Phenotyping are not necessarily prevalence-dependent. Forensic Science International: Genetics 33: e7–e8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaitanya, L., et al. 2018. The HIrisPlex-S system for eye, hair and skin colour prediction from DNA: Introduction and forensic developmental validation. Forensic Science International: Genetics 35: 123–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow-White, P.A., and T. Duster. 2011. Do health and forensic DNA databases increase racial disparities? PLoS Medicine 8 (10): e1001100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Claes, P., H. Hill, and M.D. Shriver. 2014a. Toward DNA-based facial composites: Preliminary results and validation. Forensic Science International: Genetics 13: 208–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Claes, P., et al. 2014b. Modeling 3D facial shape from DNA. PLoS Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1004224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cookson, C. 2015. DNA: The next frontier in forensics. FT Magazine, 30 January. http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/012b2b9c-a742-11e4-8a71-00144feab7de.html#axzz3QJXgyrHP. Accessed 22 Aug 2016.

  • Diep, F. 2015. Modeling suspects’ faces using DNA from crime scenes. But can it work well enough to generate reliable leads? Popular Science, 29 January. http://www.popsci.com/new-service-reverse-engineers-faces-dna-samples-crime-scenes. Accessed 22 Aug 2016.

  • Duke University News. 2013. Entrepreneurs in ECE. Parabon Nanolabs. 6 August. http://ece.duke.edu/about/news/entrepreneurs/parabon-nanolabs. Accessed 20 Aug 2016.

  • Duster, T. 2003. Backdoor to eugenics. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duster, T. 2014. Ancestry testing and DNA. Uses, limits—and caveat emptor. In Genetics as social practice: Transdisciplinary views on science and culture, ed. B. Prainsack, S. Schicketanz, and G. Werner-Felmayer, 59–71. Oxon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire-Aradas, A., et al. 2014. Exploring iris colour prediction and ancestry inference in admixed populations of South America. Forensic Science International: Genetics 13: 3–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gannon, M. 2017. Amazing DNA tool gives cops a new way to crack cold cases. DNA phenotyping can produce a sketch of the suspect. But is it ready for primetime? NBC News, 12 July. https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/amazing-dna-tool-gives-cops-new-way-crack-cold-cases-ncna781946. Accessed 18 July 2017.

  • Genewatch UK. 2015. The Police National DNA Database: Balancing crime detection, human rights and privacy. Bixton: Genewatch UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillen, M., et al. 2000. Ethical-legal problems of DNA databases in criminal investigation. Journal of Medical Ethics 26 (4): 266–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halder, I., M. Shriver, M. Thomas, J.R. Fernandez, and T. Frudakis. 2008. A panel of ancestry informative markers for estimating individual biogeographical ancestry and admixture from four continents: Utility and applications. Human Mutation 29: 648–658.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hallgrimsson, B., W. Mio, R.S. Marcucio, and R. Spritz. 2014. Let’s face it: Complex traits are just not that simple. PLoS Genetics 10 (11): e1004724.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haned, H. 2011. Forensim: An open-source initiative for the evaluation of statistical methods in forensic genetics. Forensic Science International: Genetics 5 (4): 265–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansard Col 168W, October 2005.

  • Hansson, O., P. Gill, and T. Egeland. 2014. STR-validator: An open source platform for validation and process control. Forensic Science International: Genetics 13: 154–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heeney, C. 2017. An “ethical moment” in data sharing. Science, Technology and Human Values 42 (1): 3–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, J. et al 2018. How not to talk about race and genetics. BuzzFeed, 30 March. https://www.buzzfeed.com/bfopinion/race-genetics-david-reich?utm_term=.fa0zQ5vKw0#.buaZX4r1Oz. Accessed 15 May 2018.

  • Kastilan, S. 2017. DNA-Forensik: Annähernd tatverdächtig. FAZ.net, 13 June. http://www.faz.net/aktuell/wissen/leben-gene/dna-forensik-wie-genau-ist-das-genetische-phantombild-15046200.html. Accessed 18 July 2017.

  • Kayser, M. 2015. Forensic DNA phenotyping: Predicting human appearance from crime scene material for investigative purposes. Forensic Science International: Genetics 18: 33–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kayser, M., and P. de Knijff. 2011. Improving human forensics through advances in genetics, genomics and molecular biology. Nature Reviews Genetics 12: 179–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kayser, M., and P.M. Schneider. 2009. DNA-based prediction of human externally visible characteristics in forensics: Motivations, scientific challenges, and ethical considerations. Forensic Science International: Genetics 3 (3): 154–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kayser, M., and P.M. Schneider. 2012. Reply to ‘Bracketing off population does not advance ethical reflection on EVCs: A reply to Kayser and Schneider’ by A. M’charek, V. Toom, and B. Prainsack. Forensic Science International: Genetics 6: 18–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koops, B.-J., and Schellekens, M. 2008. Forensic DNA phenotyping: Regulatory issues. TILT working paper series on Technology and Law, No. 2.

  • Latour, B. 1987. Science in action: How to follow scientists and engineers through society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lipphardt, A., V. Lipphardt, A.C. Mupepele, and M. Wienroth. 2017. Contra: Nur mit sorgfältiger Regulierung und multidisziplinärer Beratung. Recht und Politik 53 (2): 221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, M., and R. McNally. 2009. Forensic DNA databases and biolegality: The co-production of law, surveillance technology and suspect bodies. In Handbook of genetics and society: Mapping the new genomic era, ed. P. Atkinson, P. Glasner, and M. Lock, 283–301. Oxon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • M’charek, A. 2000. Technologies of population: Forensic DNA testing practices and the making of differences and similarities. Configurations 8 (1): 121–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M’charek, A. 2008. Contrasts and comparisons: Three practices of forensic investigation. Comparative Sociology 7 (3): 387–412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M’charek, A., V. Toom, and B. Prainsack. 2012. Bracketing off population does not advance ethical reflection on EVCs: A reply to Kayser and Schneider. Forensic Science International: Genetics 6: 16–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M’charek, A., K. Schramm, and D. Skinner. 2014. Topologies of race: Doing territory, population and identity in Europe. Science, Technology and Human Values 39 (4): 468–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masters, E. 2016. Massachusetts uses DNA test to predict a cold case killer’s appearance. Capital Region District Attorneys weigh in on the new technology. TimesUnion, 16 October. http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Massachusetts-uses-DNA-test-to-predict-a-cold-9975186.php. Accessed 17 Oct 2016.

  • McCartney, C. 2006. The DNA expansion programme and criminal investigation. British Journal of Criminology 46 (2): 175–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Motluk, A. 1998. Unusual suspects. New Scientist, 23 May. https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15821352-700-unusual-suspects/. Accessed 27 Oct 2016.

  • Murphy, E. 2013. Legal and ethical issues in forensic DNA phenotyping. Public Law & Legal Theory Research Paper Series Working Paper No. 13-46. New York University School of Law.

  • Murphy, H. 2015. I’ve just seen a (DNA-generated) face. The New York Times, 23 February. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/24/science/dna-generated-faces.html. Accessed 22 Aug 2016.

  • Ossorio, P., and T. Duster. 2005. Race and genetics: Controversies in biomedical, behavioural and forensic sciences. American Psychologist 60 (1): 115–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parabon Nanolabs. 2015. Parabon Announces Collaboration with Dr. Bruce Budowle at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences 67th Annual Scientific Meeting. https://www.parabon-nanolabs.com/nanolabs/news-events/2015/02/parabon-budowle-collaboration.html. Accessed 19 Jan 2017.

  • Parabon NanoLabs. 2017. Parabon® Snapshot® Case Summary: The French Homicides. https://snapshot.parabon-nanolabs.com/snapshot-case-summary-rockingham-nc-french-homicides.html. Accessed 19 Jan 2017.

  • Phillips, C. 2015. Forensic genetic analysis of bio-geographical ancestry. Forensic Science International: Genetics 18: 49–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, C., A. Salasa, J.J. Sánchez, M. Fondevila, A. Gómez-Tatoc, J. Álvarez-Diosc, M. Calazac, M. Casares de Calc, D. Ballard, M.V. Lareu, Á. Carracedo, and The SNPforID Consortium. 2007. Inferring ancestral origin using a single multiplex assay of ancestry-informative marker SNPs. Forensic Science International: Genetics 1 (3–4): 273–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, C., L. Prieto, M. Fondevila, A. Salas, A. Gomez-Tato, J. Alvarez-Dios, A. Alonso, et al. 2009. Ancestry analysis in the 11-M Madrid bomb attack investigation. PLoS ONE 4 (8): e6583.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pollack, A. 2015. Building a face, and a case, on DNA. The New York Times, 23 February. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/24/science/building-face-and-a-case-on-dna.html. Accessed 22 Aug 2016.

  • PR Newswire. 2017. Parabon® Snapshot™ helps investigators solve double-homicide cold case. Killer of North Carolina couple revealed with aid of DNA phenotyping. 4 January. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/parabon-snapshot-helps-investigators-solve-double-homicide-cold-case-300385655.html. Accessed 19 Jan 2017.

  • Reich, D. 2018a. How genetics is changing our understanding of ‘race’. The New York Times Opinion, 23 March. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/23/opinion/sunday/genetics-race.html. Accessed 15 May 2018.

  • Reich, D. 2018b. How to talk about ‘race’ and genetics. The New York Times Opinion, 30 March. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/30/opinion/race-genetics.html. Accessed 15 May 2018.

  • Rosen, M. 2015. Can DNA predict a face? Though appearance-prediction technology shows promise, it’s still in its infancy. ScienceNews, 1 December. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/can-dna-predict-face. Accessed 24 Oct 2016.

  • Ruiz, Y., et al. 2012. Further development of forensic eye color predictive tests. Forensic Science International: Genetics 7 (1): 28–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sankar, P. 2010. Forensic DNA phenotyping: Reinforcing race in law enforcement. In What’s the use of race. Modern governance and the biology of difference, ed. I. Whitmarsh and D.S. Jones, 49–62. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sankar, P. 2012. Forensic DNA phenotyping. Continuity and change in the history of race, genetics and policing. In Forensic DNA phenotyping. Genetics and the unsettled past: The collision of DNA, race, and history, ed. K. Wailoo, A. Nelson, and C. Lee, 104–113. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, P. M. 2017. Interview: Genetisches Phantombild per DNA-Analyse? WDR 5 Westblick (radio), 13 June. http://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/interview-dna-analyse-100.html. Accessed 13 July 2017.

  • Schneider, P.M. 2017b. Pro: Ja – als ultima ratio und ohne Speicherung. Recht und Politik 53 (2): 220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, D. 2013. ’The NDNAD has no ability in itself to be discriminatory’: Ethnicity and the governance of the UK National DNA database. Sociology 47: 976–992.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith-Doerr, L., and I. Vardi. 2015. Mind the gap. Formal ethics policies and chemical scientists’ everyday practices in academia and industry. Science, Technology & Human Values 40 (2): 176–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spichenok, O., et al. 2011. Prediction of eye and skin color in diverse populations using seven SNPs. Forensic Science International: Genetics 5 (5): 472–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Staubach, F., et al. 2018. Note limitations of DNA legislation. Nature 545: 30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stroud, M. 2014. The most advanced police sketch ever might solve cold cases. Toronto’s new DNA tech could bring new light to old crimes. The Verge, 20 July. http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/20/5916661/the-most-advanced-police-sketch-ever-might-solve-cold-cases. Accessed 22 Aug 2016.

  • Timmermans, S., and M. Berg. 2003. The practice of medical technology. Sociology of Health & Illness 25 (3): 97–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toom, V., et al. 2016. Approaching ethical, legal and social issues of emerging forensic DNA phenotyping (FDP) technologies comprehensively: Reply to ‘Forensic DNA phenotyping: Predicting human appearance from crime scene material for investigative purposes’ by Manfred Kayser. Forensic Science International: Genetics 22: e1–e4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Travis, J. 2009. Scientists decry isotope, DNA testing of ‘nationality’. Science 326 (5949): 30–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tutton, R., C. Hauskeller, and S. Sturdy. 2014. Suspect technologies: Forensic testing of asylum seekers at the UK border. Ethnic and Racial Studies 37 (5): 738–752.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulucanlar, S., A. Faulkner, S. Peirce, and G. Elwyn. 2013. Technology identity: The role of sociotechnical representations in the adoption of medical devices. Social Science & Medicine 98: 95–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valverde, P., et al. 1995. Variants of the melanocyte–stimulating hormone receptor gene are associated with red hair and fair skin in humans. Nature Genetics 11: 328–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, S., et al. 2011. Irisplex: A sensitive DNA tool for accurate prediction of blue and brown eye colour in the absence of ancestry information. Forensic Science International: Genetics 5: 170–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weigmann, K. 2015. Forensische DNA-Phänotypisierung: Die DNA als Augenzeugin, Spektrum, 6 November. http://www.spektrum.de/news/die-dna-als-augenzeugin/1374666. Accessed 13 July 2017.

  • Wienroth, M. 2018. Governing anticipatory technology practices. Forensic DNA Phenotyping and the forensic genetics community in Europe. New Genetics and Society 37 (2): 137–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wienroth, M., N. Morling, and R. Williams. 2014. Technological innovations in forensic genetics: Social, legal and ethical aspects. Recent Advances in DNA and Gene Sequences 8: 98–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, R. 2010. DNA databases and the forensic imaginary. In Genetic suspects. Global governance of forensic DNA profiling and databasing, ed. R. Hindmarsh and B. Prainsack, 175–196. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, R., and M. Wienroth. 2017. Social and ethical aspects of forensic genetics: A critical review. Forensic Science Review 29 (2): 147–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yun, L., Y. Gu, H. Rajeevan, and K.K. Kidd. 2014. Application of six Irisplex SNPs and comparison of two eye colour prediction systems in diverse Eurasia populations. International Journal of Legal Medicine 128: 447–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Thanks go to colleagues at the “Doing the Individual and the Collective in Forensic Genetics” workshop in Manchester, September 2016, as well as to Robin Williams (Durham/Northumbria), Gethin Rees and Pauline McCormack (both Newcastle) for their comments on earlier versions of this paper. I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their very helpful and insightful comments. Some of the work leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under Grant Agreement No. 285487 (EUROFORGEN-NoE).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Policy, Ethics, and Life Sciences Research Centre, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Windsor Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    Matthias Wienroth

Authors
  1. Matthias Wienroth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthias Wienroth.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The author declares no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wienroth, M. Socio-technical disagreements as ethical fora: Parabon NanoLab’s forensic DNA Snapshot™ service at the intersection of discourses around robust science, technology validation, and commerce. BioSocieties 15, 28–45 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41292-018-0138-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41292-018-0138-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation