Scientists at ECU Have Developed an Innovative Forensic Investigation Tool Based on Hair Identification.

Perth, Australia, December 16, 2025: Edith Cowan University (ECU) researchers have announced the development of a groundbreaking forensic intelligence tool that can identify individuals using a single strand of hair protein, providing an effective alternative in cases where DNA evidence is unavailable or has been damaged.

Proteomic genotyping, also known as proteomic genotyping, was developed by researchers in the School of Science at ECU in partnership with ChemCentre and the University of California, Davis. The research was a first-of-its-kind global study conducted by PhD scholars Rebecca Tidy and Romy Keane under the guidance of Professor Glendon Parker.

It is a protein-based analysis of hair, unlike DNA profiling, which uses intact genetic material and is applicable when genetic material has been lost or damaged by harsh environmental factors. The technique can establish relationships between samples and individual or population groups by identifying minute genetic variations encoded in these proteins. It is not a substitute for DNA analysis; it complements it, as Dr Parker said. When there are no DNA fragments or they have been destroyed, protein markers provide additional identification assurance.

According to a study published in Forensic Science International, the system employs​​​​  high-resolution mass spectrometry, used in examining amino-acid sequences in hair shafts. These are matched against databases of known protein forms, and an informational profile of the genetic variation is inferred, enabling investigators to read DNA information indirectly through proteins. According to the researchers, the tool could revolutionise cold-case investigations and archaeological identifications. It could also be used to gather intelligence in mass-disaster victim cases where conventional DNA recovery methods fail. The technology also minimises the need for large biological samples, allowing forensic teams to extract clues from limited evidence, such as a single hair fragment left at the crime scene.

Validation trials continue as the method is being standardised in international forensic laboratories, and ChemCentre and ECU are developing protocols of operation for use by law enforcement agencies worldwide.

The researchers have made a discovery that has transformed the field of forensic identification, according to their lead researcher, Rebecca Tidy. It provides investigators with an alternative way to speak on behalf of the voiceless when DNA is unavailable.