BBC interviews Anglia DNA
It has been 25 years since British scientist Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys discovered the DNA fingerprint. To celebrate this important discovery, BBC2’s Newsnight wanted to broadcast an extended story outlining some of the history of DNA and look at its development.
BBC correspondent Claire Marshall approached Anglia DNA several months ago to ask for involvement from the company’s expert scientific team.
“We were pleased to welcome Claire and her team” comments Technical Manager Dr Mandy Hartley, “Companies like Anglia DNA have been able to provide services that would never have been available if it were not for Sir Alec Jeffreys discovery 25 years ago”.
The team from the BBC visited the companies Norwich based laboratories for a day to understand the ways in which DNA is being used to resolve many complicated family relationship cases. The discovery and development of the DNA fingerprint has resulted in experts such as Anglia DNA being able to assist in resolving some of the most complicated family relationship and immigration matters.
In addition to overseeing the day to day work of the lab, the team were interviewed about their thoughts for the future of DNA and the various ways in which it may be being used in other important areas.
In addition to visiting Anglia DNA, Claire Marshall was privileged to be able to interview Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys at the laboratories in which he works – the same laboratories at Leicester University where, a quarter of a century ago, he discovered, by chance, the genetic fingerprint.
His "eureka" moment came on the morning of Monday 10 September 1984 when he pulled an x-ray film out of the developing tank in the laboratory.
He could see patterns in the genetic material which completely discriminated between the three people who had been involved in the analysis: a technician, and a mother and a father.
"Within seconds," said Prof Jeffreys, "it was obvious that we had stumbled upon a DNA-based method not only for biological identification, but also for sorting out family relationships. It really was an extraordinary moment."
You can read the BBC story by clicking here