Discovery of biomarker signatures to accurately estimate time since death

发现生物标志物特征以准确估计死亡后的时间

• 批准号: DH-2022-00198
• 负责人: Forbes, Shari
• 金额: $ 7.19万
• 依托单位: Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Horizons
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=748456
• 关键词: Discovery; biomarker; signatures; accurately; estimate

Every year, between 70,000 to 80,000 people go missing in Canada. For those who are not found within seven days, the likelihood of discovery is significantly decreased. When human remains are discovered, the greatest challenge is to determine time since death (TSD) to assist with victim identification. Current methods for estimating TSD are either limited to days (forensic pathology), or years (forensic anthropology, odontology), or are not useful year-round in cold climates like Canada (forensic entomology). Prior attempts to identify TSD methods have focused on a single marker which do not meet the accuracy and precision required for death investigations. We propose that an interdisciplinary approach involving the addition of biomarker discovery (NSERC) will significantly improve TSD estimates when incorporated with forensic pathology (CIHR), anthropology (SSHRC) and odontology (CIHR) methods. Our objective is to fill this gap by discovering novel biomarker signatures linked to time in degrading soft and hard tissues. We will achieve this by investigating a suite of metabolomic, isotopic and genomic biomarkers. Research will be conducted at the facility for Research in Experimental and Social Thanatology (REST); the only facility in Canada where TSD can be studied through human body donation. REST blends medical, natural and social science research ensuring our ability to concomitantly assess pathological (vitreous humor), anthropological (bone chemistry), and odontological (dental pulp) changes, while discovering and quantifying new biomarkers (e.g. 15N, methylated DNA, fatty acids) in soft and hard tissues. The estimation of TSD is particularly important in investigations where a criminal event has occurred, such as homicide. Current data in Canada suggests homicide rates are seven times higher in people with Indigenous identity; many of these go unsolved as evidenced by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. An enhanced estimation of TSD can significantly increase the likelihood of identifying marginalized victims, or any victim of violence, permitting the return of their remains to their grieving families. Our research will therefore have significant societal impact by helping to bring missing persons home. It will provide a more rapid resolution to medico-legal death investigations and the prosecution of offenders, thus increasing the safety and security of the Canadian public.

每年，加拿大有70,000至80,000人失踪。对于那些在七天内未发现的人，发现的可能性大大降低。当发现人类遗体时，最大的挑战是确定自死亡（TSD）以来的时间来协助受害者身份。当前估计TSD的方法限于几天（法医病理学），要么是数年（法医人类学，牙本质学），要么在加拿大（法医昆虫学）等寒冷的气候中全年都不是有用的。事先尝试识别TSD方法的尝试集中在单个标记上，该标记不符合死亡调查所需的准确性和精度。我们建议，涉及添加生物标志物发现（NSERC）的跨学科方法将在与法医病理学（CIHR），人类学（SSHRC）和牙本质学（CIHR）方法合并时显着改善TSD估计。我们的目的是通过发现与降解软组织的时间相关的新型生物标志物特征来填补这一空白。我们将通过研究一套代谢组学，同位素和基因组生物标志物来实现这一目标。研究将在实验和社会宣传学研究的设施中进行（REST）；加拿大唯一可以通过人体捐赠来研究TSD的设施。 REST融合了医学，自然和社会科学研究，确保了我们同时评估病理学（玻璃体幽默），人类学（骨化学）和牙周论（牙浆）的能力，同时发现和量化了软组织和硬性组织中的新生物标志物（例如15N，甲基化的DNA，脂肪酸）。在发生犯罪事件的调查（例如凶杀案）的调查中，TSD的估计尤其重要。加拿大的当前数据表明，土著身份的人的凶杀率高出七倍。国家对失踪和被谋杀的土著妇女和女孩的调查证明了其中的许多人。增强对TSD的估计可以显着增加确定边缘化受害者或任何暴力受害者的可能性，从而允许其遗体返回其悲伤的家庭。因此，我们的研究将通过帮助失踪人员回家来产生重大的社会影响。它将为医学法律的死亡调查和起诉罪犯的起诉提供更快的解决方案，从而增加了加拿大公众的安全和保障。