El microbioma como herramienta emergente en la identificación humana: Perspectivas y aplicaciones forenses

In forensic genetics, advances in molecular biology have enabled the identification of criminal suspects through microsatellite analysis. However, when human biological evidence is unavailable to identify the perpetrator, the investigation is limited. The human microbiome has become a new forensic tool through the analysis of microbial profiles characteristic of each individual, based on their location within the body. The sequencing techniques employed are key to more accurately determining microbial signatures using universal platforms and markers, such as 16S ribosomal RNA regions and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Microbial signatures can be deposited through contact and persist over time under environmental conditions that can influence metagenomic analysis and its interpretation. Therefore, microbiome applications can range from identifying a suspect after they touch an object or person to linking them to a crime scene and even determining their geographic location