| | By Nick Farrell in Rome @ Tuesday, March 24, 2009 7:59 AM
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| | Boffins have come up with new DNA testing techniques that could open thousands of cold cases.
 Martin Bell, a top boffin from the Forensic Science Service told This is London the techniques involves a method of reading DNA found on items touched by more than one person at a crime scene.
Until the breakthrough scientists could not create a DNA profile based on 'mixed DNA'.
Dubbed DNA Boost, they can unscramble two people's DNA, allowing police to search the DNA database for possible matches.
He said that many unsolved cold cases that involve DNA profiles that are too weak or mixed to be of use will be able to be revisited by using DNA Boost.
Using DNA Boost software a computer sorts the scrambled pieces of DNA found when several people are present and pairs them up to create a list of potential profiles. These can be searched for on the DNA database.
It also means that there will be lots more situations for TV cop dramas like Cold Case to dramatise. X
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