University of Lincoln and AttoLife Limited KTP 24_25 R1

A single drop of saliva or a touch on a surface could soon determine biological relationships with far greater certainty than current methods allow. Standard DNA kinship tests rely on analysing short tandem repeats (STRs)—specific, repetitive sequences in the genome. These tests are widely used for paternity, immigration, and missing-person cases, but they have limits. STRs can struggle to distinguish close relatives from unrelated individuals when the genetic material is degraded or mixed, and they offer less resolution for more distant relationships, such as half-siblings or cousins. This project applies SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) analysis—looking at individual letter changes across the genome—to kinship testing. SNPs are more abundant and stable than STRs, and can be analysed from smaller or more damaged samples. If successful, the collaboration between the University of Lincoln and AttoLife Limited will produce a more accurate and reliable test for biological relationship determination. This could improve outcomes in legal proceedings, family reunification, and forensic identification. The work is applied and commercially focused, with the immediate goal of enhancing an existing diagnostic tool rather than exploring fundamental biological questions.