The Greatest Contribution to Criminology by Sir Alec Jeffreys, Essay Example

Biotechnology plays a vital role in society by improving the quality of life. There have been numerous inventions that have made a positive contribution to the field of medicine, agriculture, food processing, general industrial use, and even in criminology. One such intriguing contribution is “DNA profiling” and “genetic fingerprinting.” This was discovered by Sir Alec John Jeffreys in September 1984. Arguably, this is one of the greatest inventions of the 20^th Century. Thus, Sir Alec John Jeffreys is my nominee for the Carleton Prize for Biotechnology. My choice is based on the fact that his invention revolutionized how criminal investigations are carried out worldwide. Crime investigators rely on “DNA profiling” and genetic fingerprinting to solve crime cases. These two inventions enable police officers to link suspects to various crimes and identify victims using forensic science.

Sir Alec John Jeffreys was born in 1950 on the ninth of January in Oxford, England. He is a geneticist by profession and works at the University of Leicester as a Professor specializing in genetics. Jeffreys’ budding interest in science began at a young age. His father and grandfather already had patents to their name making him curious and intuitive in matters of Science. Jeffreys began performing simple chemistry experiments at only eight years old. Seeing that Jeffreys’ interest was growing, his father gifted him with a microscope. In his pre-teen years, he carried out several dissections on small animals and one day dissected a dead cat. Jeffreys studied Biochemistry at Merton College and graduated with first-class honors in the discipline. He later pursued a Doctorate at the University of Oxford, focusing on cell culture of mammals.

Jeffreys describes September tenth, 1984, as his “eureka moment.” In his lab in Leicester, the scientist was carrying out experimentation using DNA samples (Gitschier, 2009). The samples were from different people but duplicated similar sequences. The samples belonged to a lab technician and related family members. Jeffreys first put the DNA samples on a gel, which he later passed an electric current through. The samples moved toward the positively charged side of the gel. He laterobserved the samples using an X-ray image. The X-ray film showed DNA samples of two people distinguishing the similarities and the differences of the samples (Harbison, 2017). The results obtained were of a similar genetic pattern for related family members. It took him about thirty minutes to realize that DNA fingerprinting uses several genetic codes that identify a person. This invention relies on similar DNA characteristics to pinpoint individuals of the same family.

Jeffreys’discovery earns him the Carleton prize in Biotechnology because he implemented this technique in solving three predicaments. In 1985, Jeffreys made a publication on “DNA fingerprinting.” His discovery gained recognition. He was contacted to solve the immigration case of a family. A young man had traveled to the UK from Ghana. However, authorities were not certain if he was an imposter or indeed the person he claimed to be. Jeffreys decided to reconstruct the father’s DNA fingerprint from the other siblings. He then matched the young man’s DNA fingerprint to both the father’s and the mother’s. The X-ray image of the young man’s DNA fingerprint matched that of both the father and the mother of the young man. Jeffreys concluded that the man was indeed whom he had earlier claimed.

The Scientist’s success gained publicity, especially amongst Police officers. Jeffreys was again contacted to solve a rape and murder crime that had happened in 1983. The same crime was repeated in 1986, just a few blocks from the first crime. Both crimes showcased similarities in the manner the victims were killed. Based on Jeffreys’ research, biological evidence collected indicated that both crimes had been committed by the same person. Jeffreys technique identified Colin Pitchfork as the perpetrator behind the two crimes. Finally, Jeffreys identified the remains of John Mengele by using DNA fingerprinting. The scientist collected DNA samples of the deceased son and his first wife. Jeffreys concluded that the remains were indeed Mengele’s. Jeffrey solved an investigation that had been on-going for over three decades. In 1987, Jeffrey was accredited to have developed the world’s first DNA profile. Additionally,in 1988, Jeffreys’ invention was used to conduct the first-ever paternity test. Paternity tests distinguish a person’s biological parents and solve paternity disputes.

As a result of Jeffreys’ biotechnology input, thousands of criminals in the world can be linked to crime scenes and imprisoned. Also, suspects who are wrongfully imprisoned are exonerated of charges. “DNA fingerprinting” is a reliable source used to identify individuals. DNA samples collected can be stored for over a hundred years. Jeffreys’ technique offers precision as opposed to the typical fingerprinting. Currently, DNA is used to determine a person’s heritage and ancestry lineage. This could be a step made in preventing genetic diseases. All this would not have been possible without the input of Sir Alec John Jeffreys. A man who has dedicated his whole life studying genetics and come up with a brilliant invention. Jeffreys’ work and its positive application in criminology make him the best candidate for the Carleton Prize for Biotechnology.

References

Biotechnology / dna profiling – Pathwayz. (2019). Retrieved 30 September 2019, from https://www.pathwayz.org/Tree/Plain/DNA+PROFILING

Gitschier, J. (2009). The Eureka Moment: An Interview with Sir Alec Jeffreys [Ebook] (12th ed., pp. 1-4). San Francisco: Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/40688607_The_eureka_moment_an_interview_with_Sir_Alec_Jeffreys_Interview_by_Jane_Gitschier

Harbison, C. (2017). Alec John Jeffreys (1950–) | The Embryo Project Encyclopedia. Retrieved 30 September 2019, from https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/alec-john-jeffreys-1950