[Use of modern gene technology in forensic medicine]

Modern DNA technology has had a great impact upon the practice of forensic genetics. Recently developed methods have disclosed different types of genetic variability in human DNA. Typing of genetic DNA polymorphisms based on point mutations represents an alternative to the blood and protein systems developed before. However, the discovery of the so-called hypervariable regions (HVR) in the genome, which represent grossly rearranged areas of DNA, has, revolutionised the field. "Fingerprints", nearly specific for each individual in the population, can be developed by employing specific probes, restriction enzymes and Southern blot technique. We present some results of the application of these techniques in criminal cases investigated at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Oslo. In future, the sensitivity of the methods may be increased through amplification procedures (PCR reaction).