Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
16 October 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Kyla Dooley, runner-up in this year’s Three-minute thesis competition, wants to pursue a career working alongside police enforcement, using her knowledge of forensics to solve criminal cases and convict perpetrators.

When rapes and sexual assaults are committed, DNA evidence can play a large role in convicting the offenders. DNA evidence collected from sexual crimes can, according to Kyla Dooley, often be tricky to analyse.

Kyla has just completed her master’s degree, specialising in Forensic Genetics, at the University of the Free State (UFS). She not only thrives in this field – graduating at the top of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences in 2018 when she was awarded the Dean’s Medal – but her work also brought her the runner-up position in this year’s Three-minute thesis competition. 

She talked about her research on the use of male-specific DNA in the analysis of DNA evidence collected after crimes of a sexual nature have been committed.

Explaining her research, Kyla elaborates: “In most cases, the victim is female, while the offender is male. Therefore, the evidence is often a mixture of male and female DNA and this can make it difficult to analyse the male DNA and match it to a male suspect.”

She believes the solution to this is to target male-specific DNA in analysis. “This eliminates all female DNA and simplifies the process,” says Kyla.

“Unfortunately, male-specific DNA technology is not currently used in South Africa, because the DNA regions tested to date haven’t shown much success in distinguishing between males in our population,” Kyla points out.

“The goal is now to use DNA evidence, to match it to a suspect, and have the confidence that it came from him and only him. Or else defence lawyers could argue that it came from someone else in the population,” she says.

Improving DNA evidence

Therefore, Kyla’s research focused on evaluating a new group of male-specific DNA regions, which are to be tested yet, to see if it would be a viable option for use in South Africa. 

“I achieved this by collecting DNA samples from men on campus, processing them to obtain DNA profiles, and then determining how well these regions can distinguish between the men. The results of my research demonstrate the potential of these DNA regions to improve the use of DNA evidence when investigating sexual assaults in South Africa,” says Kyla.

She believes her study can play a role in increasing the conviction rate of sexual offenders, which could lead to a reduction in South Africa’s alarmingly high rape statistic. 

“Everyone in South Africa is affected by this horrific crime in some way or another, so the benefits of this would be widespread,” she says.

Solving crimes

Although Kyla will one day pursue further studies, she is ready for the next stage in her life. “I am in the process of applying for jobs and getting ready to dive into the real world. I’ll definitely be pursuing a career working alongside police enforcement to solve criminal cases and convict perpetrators of such crimes. Working for the NYPD in the USA or Scotland Yard in the UK is the ultimate dream job,” she says.

“I chose my field not only because the forensics world absolutely fascinates me, but also because I want to make a difference. I want to play a role in getting justice for those affected by violent crimes. One simple process in a forensic scientist’s everyday routine could be a life changer for a victim of crime,” believes Kyla.

 

 


News Archive

Core herd established on the UFS Experimental Farm
2006-05-24

Seven of the foremost stud-farmers of the Afrikaner Cattle Breeders Society of South Africa, in cooperation with the University of the Free State (UFS), established a core herd on the UFS Paradys Experimental Farm outside Bloemfontein.

Each stud-farmer donated five heifers to the project.  In return, each farmer will annually receive a performance tested bull or semen of a performance tested bull out of the core herd.

With the establishment of the herd, the UFS wants to create a genetically outstanding herd to be used for the training of students, research as well as information sessions for farmers.  All the animals that cannot be used by the herd or the stud-farmers will be made available for auctioning at the UFS Paradys Experimental Farm.  

The herd will be kept under commercial conditions to ensure that only those animals who have adapted can be made available to the industry.  For more information Prof Frikkie Neser can be contacted at (051) 401-9595.

In front from the left are Mr Julian Balt (stud-farmer from  Carletonville), Prof Johan Greyling (Departmental Chairperson: Department of Animal- and Wildlife- and Grassland Sciences), Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences) and Mr Neels van Rooyen (stud-farmer  from Zastron). At the back from the left are Mr Willem Kooij (stud-farmer  from  Potchefstroom), Messrs Johan and Estian Cronjé (stud-farmers from  Winburg), Mr Willie Cloete (stud-farmer from Vryburg), Prof Frikkie Neser (lecturer at the UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences) and Mr Schalk de Jager (stud-farmer from  Vryburg).

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept