Interpol to use programme developed by Nijmegen scientists
By Elzi Lewis
Interpol will begin using new forensic software this year - based on research from Radboud University Nijmegen!
The software
The programme is called Bonaparte and is marketed by SMART Research BV. It was first developed by a team at the university’s Dutch Foundation for Neural Networks.
Bonaparte is essentially a piece of software which enables people to be identified via their relatives' DNA. By providing rapid, extensive and reliable DNA-searching, Bonaparte can be particularly helpful in the wake of large-scale disasters.
It has already been successfully employed by the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI): notably, to identify victims of the Tripoli airplane crash (2010), and also to find the murderer of Marianne Vaatstra (2012).
Prestige for Nijmegen
On Wednesday, Interpol officially announced that it would be adding the Bonaparte system to its DNA database.
The organisation's secretary general, Ron Noble, openly thanked the NFI and SMART Research in his announcement.
The decision means that Bonaparte will now help detectives tracing criminals and victims across the world.
The addition will significantly increase Interpol’s options for DNA tracing. It will also make the identification of missing persons much faster and more reliable.
The NFI's international connections
This move is part of a wider collaboration between Interpol and the NFI.
Noble stated that, "from my point of view, this cooperation is a logical step, because the NFI - just like Interpol - believes in the necessity of continuous innovation, and tries to increase forensic expertise and skills of countries around the world."
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of the NFI called the cooperation, "an example of the growing internationalisation of the forensic domain."
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Elzi Lewis