AIIMS portal traces unidentified bodies, missing persons using DNA data, Pg4.

Key Highlights:

• AIIMS Delhi launched the UID portal on October 18, a database of over 1,700 unidentified bodies and missing persons.
• The portal aims to help resolve cases involving unidentified bodies and missing persons through DNA data.
• Around 50,000 unidentified bodies and over 300,000 missing persons are reported annually in India.
• The UMID website offers public access to physical descriptions, photos, and phenotype details of unidentified bodies.
• The project, supported by ICMR, is currently operational at seven centers across India.

Detailed Insights:

• The UID portal was launched by AIIMS Delhi’s Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology in collaboration with regional centers and other medical institutes in Delhi.
• The pilot project for the DNA database was started in 2022, and the launch of the website marks the beginning of its second phase.
• The goal is to establish a national DNA database to address the challenges of identifying unidentified bodies and missing persons in India.
• The UMID website securely stores corresponding DNA profiles and provides a search algorithm to compare DNA data.
• Family members can search the portal for potential matches and contact postmortem centers or DNA labs for DNA profiling.
• There are plans to expand the portal to 14 more centers and provide access to all forensic labs across the country.

Key Concepts Involved:

• DNA Profiling: A forensic technique used to identify individuals by their DNA.
• Phenotype: The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
• Forensic Medicine: A branch of medicine that applies medical knowledge to legal problems.