Sir Alec Jeffreys, inventor of DNA fingerprinting, retires

Sir Alec Jeffreys is retiring from the University Of Leicester. Jeffreys was instrumental in changing criminal investigations around the world with his work developing techniques for DNA fingerprinting and DNA profiling. The genetic scientist, now 62, has been awarded the position of Emeritus professor at the University.

Sir Alec Jeffreys invented and developed DNA fingerprinting techniques in 1984. Through his extensive research and development, he has helped law enforcement officers from around the world catch criminals that range from rapists to murderers. The same method has also been used in numerous cases around the world to help those who were wrongly convicted.

His work has also been used in family disputes with regards to paternity and issues of lineage. Needless to say, this helped reshape family law in several countries, as it has become standard practice to perform a paternity test to confirm the genealogy of a child if it is in dispute.

His colleagues at the University of Leicester currently using his technology to determine whether the remains they found at a U.K. car park are those of King Richard III.

In 1994, in recognition of his valuable contribution to both science and the criminal justice system, Sir Alec Jeffreys received his knighthood. A decade later, he was awarded the Distinguished Honorary Fellowship at the University of Leicester. A tribute was held for him and his work recently at the university.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  criminal ID  |  dna  |  education  |  fingerprint  |  forensics  |  law enforcement