Enabling justice and closure

Bring reassurance and confirmation to survivors of sexual violence

Sexual assaults are a serious public safety concern and represent a significant percentage of cases examined by crime laboratories and forensic scientists (≥ 50%). A UN report from 2015 estimated that 1 in 3 women, or nearly 35% women globally, experience sexual assault at some point in their lives. Sexual assault victims often do not get the necessary closure they require due to the lack of informative and conclusive results from challenging DNA evidence. Issues related to DNA mixtures, degraded and low levels of DNA, PCR inhibitors and even available laboratory resources to process samples in a timely manner, can all impede successful completion of necessary casework. To help overcome these challenges, QIAGEN is partnering with forensic scientists worldwide and enabling justice by streamlining sexual assault sample analysis. We provide dedicated products and protocols for every step of the workflow, from differential extraction to STR analysis.

https://unstats.un.org/unsd/gender/chapter6/chapter6.html

Latest news

A new, advanced approach to Y-STR analysis

Streamline your sexual assault sample analysis and get reliable results in even the toughest PCR conditions with the new Investigator Argus Y-28 QS Kit. Get maximum discrimination capacity with our unique set of markers, along with superior sensitivity, straightforward DNA quality assessment and best-in-class PCR chemistry. Be the first to add this exciting new tool to your workflow.

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Reduce costs and rework in your STR workflow

Interested in increasing STR throughput in your lab while reducing costs? Read how the French Gendarmerie streamlined their STR analysis workflow with a quick DNA quantification step using our Investigator Quantiplex Pro Kit.

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Discover our solutions

Speed up the resolution of sexual assault cases

Discover how our comprehensive product portfolio and dedicated workflows can expedite your sexual assault sample analysis.

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EZ1 and QIAcube work together in sexual assault case

Since its launch, the EZ1 instrument has continued to take sample prep to new heights, allowing even the most challenging samples to be successfully processed. Discover how to accelerate EZ1 Advanced XL processing of mixed epithelial and sperm cells by replacing the transfer and pellet wash steps with an automated QIAcube Connect protocol.

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QIAcube Connect dramatically increases sample throughput

A crucial step in sexual assault sample processing is the effective lysis and careful separation of the sperm and epithelial fractions. Our specially designed differential wash protocols on the QIAcube Connect rise to meet this challenge, helping you get the most out of difficult samples. Hear how Maria Cownan, Criminalist II, City and County of San Francisco, uses the QIAcube to increase the throughput of sexual assault sample processing.

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Make sample processing easy

Try the QIAcube Connect demo tool now!

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Useful resources
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accelerate your casework

DNA methylation – the future of forensic casework analysis
Analyzing methylation patterns in biological samples collected at crime scenes can be used to determine the age or tissue origin of the sample. In cases with no DNA profile match against a database, such information could be critical for providing additional intelligence for criminal investigations and sexual assault cases.
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Confident tissue source identification in forensic casework
Attribution of a DNA profile to a specific cell or tissue type can enable forensic investigators to address source-level questions often posed by the judiciary. Learn how analysis of DNA methylation by Pyrosequencing on the PyroMark Q48 Autoprep enables accurate and reliable sperm identification in sexual assault samples.
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Rapid, reliable quantification of total human and male DNA
Determining the degradation status of both male and total human DNA prior to STR analysis is important when analyzing sexual assault samples where low levels of the male perpetrator’s DNA could be degraded in a high background of a female victim's DNA. Discover how the Investigator Quantiplex Pro RGQ Kit provides reliable information on DNA degradation status using quantitative real-time PCR.
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