Sorenson Forensics

Happy 250th, America 🥳 We’ll be closed Friday for the holiday and back in the lab Monday.
We hope you have a safe & happy Independence Day weekend!

We're proud to announce that Sorenson Forensics is working with the Murder Has a Name Foundation as a forensic technology partner.
Founded in honor of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the victims of the University of Idaho student murders, the foundation is working to expand access to forensic DNA testing for unsolved violent crime cases by helping to identify perpetrators and victims.
We understand the significance of our work and the lives it touches and support their mission by providing forensic DNA expertise and testing support.
Want to help? Donate to their Circles program, follow their page or share this post. Expanding funding access to forensic DNA testing can help more cases receive the forensic analysis they need.
The Goncalves Family Page

Corporate Partnerships - Murder Has a Name Forensic Technology Partners We collaborate with forensic experts to bring cutting-edge DNA technology to unsolved cases. Our goal is to support families affected by violent crimes by providing resources and information. Together, we strive to create a path toward justice and closure for every victi...

WHAT IT CAN TELL YOU: DNA can help identify or exclude a person.
WHAT IT CAN'T TELL YOU: Just by itself, DNA at a crime scene cannot explain intent, the time it was deposited or how exactly it was deposited.
Skilled investigators build the whole story by looking at all the evidence. And DNA can provide an important piece.

In this Forensics Spotlight series, get an intimate look at what we do here and what keeps us engaged in this fascinating field. Meet Forensic Scientist and Training Coordinator K.S. "Forensic scientists help provide facts, without which there can be no justice."

Forensics Spotlight: A Day in the Life – K.S.’s Story - Sorenson Forensics Discover Why We Are Passionate About What We Do and the Driving Force Behind Our Commitment to Deliver Justice.

World DNA Day is tomorrow!
Tomorrow will be 53 years since James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin published an academic paper on DNA's double helix structure in the science journal Nature.
Some interesting backstory - here in the US, DNA Day was first celebrated in 2003 after both the Senate and House of Representatives made it official. But they only declared it a one-time event. Thankfully, the National Human Genome Research Institute made it an annual tradition. Recognizing over half a century of DNA science, and what comes next!

Come see Sorenson Forensics Forensic Scientist & Technical Accounts Director Rykie Lake at booth #3 at NACDL Forensic Science & Technology Seminar starting this Thursday in Vegas.
We can help defense teams evaluate, retest and clearly interpret DNA evidence, even in complex or older cases.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. SAAM was created 25 years ago by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center with the goal of uniting survivors, advocates and communities to end sexual violence. In addition to supporting its survivor-centered mission, Sorenson Forensics can also help move cases forward on the science side.

We'll be at NACDL next month in Vegas, see you there?

Keeping you updated on funding opportunities as they come out - the newest one is the FY25 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program through the BJA.

The program provides flexible funding that can be used for many initiatives, including support for investigative technologies and forensic analysis.

FY25 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program – State Formula
Grants.gov deadline: April 7, 2026
JustGrants deadline: April 14, 2026
FY25 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program – Local Formula
Grants.gov deadline: April 21, 2026
JustGrants deadline: April 28, 2026

More info & to apply: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/jag/overview

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program | Overview JAG provides states, tribes, and local governments with critical funding to support a range of program areas.

We're already 3 months in to 2026, but here's what's trending in forensic DNA testing for the rest of the year.

Where Forensic DNA Testing is Headed in 2026 - Sorenson Forensics Forensic DNA testing is entering a new phase. After years of growth driven by backlog funding and cold case initiatives, the field is now balancing innovation with tighter budgets and rising expectations. In 2026, forensic DNA laboratories will not just be asked to do more, but also faster and more....