Leveraging CNNs for Detecting STRs in DNA

Since the beginning of DNA sequencing, forensic scientists have always been striving for better ways to efficiently profile DNA. More specifically, a huge part in the field of forensics is finding a way to accurately identify people through only some strands of DNA.

A common method used widely in the field today is STRs. Short tandem repeats (STRs) are small repeats of a few base pairs long that are found on certain genes. By comparing and contrasting these patterns on one person’s DNA with another, we can create a DNA profile which is relatively accurate…