Abstract

Background: In Forensic medicine, microarray technology has an immense impact in the areas of investigation, to conduct in-depth Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) analysis in forensic phenotyping. That allows for the probabilistic prediction of externally visible characteristics (EVCs), such eye and hair colour, and yields useful leads for identifying suspects. The use of microarray technology to estimate the Postmortem Interval (PMI), or time since death, is another area of active research. Moreover, by observing post-mortem, gene expression, microbial DNA, and identification through biological fluids like saliva, CSF, venous blood, menstrual blood, and semen, researchers hope to increase PMI accuracy. These developments and implications of microarrays in forensic science allows for more enhanced and informative genetic analyses, ultimately strengthening forensic investigations. Objective: This review aims to evaluate the current applications and future directions of microarray-based techniques in forensic medicine. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Research Gate and Google Scholar for studies published between January 2000 to March 2025. Studies focusing on forensic applications of microarrays, including gene expression profiling, identification of body fluids, time of death estimation, and toxicological assessments were included. Results: Out of 789 initially identified articles, 34 studies met the inclusion criteria. Microarrays demonstrated significant utility in identifying specific gene expression patterns related to postmortem interval estimation, tissue-specific markers, and toxin exposure. However, variability in sample preservation, data interpretation, and lack of standardization limit its widespread forensic adoption. Conclusion: Microarray technology shows promising potential in forensic medicine. Integrating it with traditional methods and next-generation sequencing could enhance accuracy and reliability in forensic investigations.

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