We offer DNA profiling services for those who would like a record of their DNA profile. A DNA profile is like a genetic fingerprint—it is very unique to an individual and can thus be used for identification. We test 16 different locations on a person’s DNA to generate the DNA profile. These locations include the 13 CODIS markers, used worldwide as the gold standard for human identification.
DNA banking is the secure storage of a person's genetic material. The DNA is safely stored until withdrawals are made. Withdrawals are largely for the purpose of DNA testing.
- DNA banking is particularly urgent for the elderly and the terminally ill. Once a person is buried or cremated, it is difficult or impossible to obtain a DNA sample.
- Stored DNA can be used for paternity tests and other DNA tests should the individual pass away and other parties make legal claims on his/her estate
- Parents ask to bank their children’s DNA should something happen to them in the future, such as abductions or runaways.
- Stored DNA can be used for identification purposes for those working or deployed overseas, especially those in the military.
- As medical scientists learn more about inherited diseases, an individual’s stored DNA might be helpful to his/her descendants. The stored DNA can be tested to rapidly identify predispositions to genetic diseases and help them to take preventive measures early on.