HT-BAGP-CESPU-2018: Human traces from car inner surfaces: Broadening the application of genetic policing.

Principal Investigator:
Daniel Pérez Mongiovi (
Leader Institution:
Funding entity:
Period covered:

Forensic sciences promote the interaction of different scientific areas, contributing to the good application of justice in the best interest of the citizen. Within this multidisciplinary science, the lofoscopy and genetic domains are highly relevant since they analyse evidence that lead to the unequivocal identification of individuals involved in illicit acts. The fingerprint traces, revealed in the most diverse surfaces, do not always have an identification value, due to limiting factor, such as the fact that the minimum twelve characteristic points that allow an absolute certainty of identity may not be visible. However, fingerprints can be a source of DNA allowing the elaboration of the genetic profiles that will lead to the identification of individuals. As highlighted by police forces, lofoscopy is limited on the retrieval of positive matches with individuals in some types of matrices, namely in car steering wheels. As so, the current project mainly intends to evaluate the possibility of using these two scientific domains being synergistic and promising tools in a real forensic scenario involving vehicles.

Research Team:
Daniel Pérez Mongiovi, Sara Moreira, Ricardo Dinis, Pedro Correia, Patrícia Campos, Maria Begoña Criado, Laura Cainé, Áurea Carvalho, Ana Pereira