Alec Jeffreys

Sir Alec John Jeffreys, FRS (born 9 January 1950 at Oxford in Oxfordshire) is a British geneticist, who developed techniques for DNA fingerprinting and DNA profiling.

Biography
After graduating from the University of Oxford, he moved to the University of Leicester in 1977, where he developed genetic fingerprinting. DNA fingerprinting uses variations in the genetic code to identify individuals. The technique has been applied in forensics for law enforcement, to resolve paternity and immigration disputes, and can be applied to non-human species, for example in wildlife population genetics studies.

Jeffrey's DNA technique was used in the first regional screen of human DNA to identify the rapist and killer of two girls in Narborough, Leicestershire in 1983 and 1986. Colin Pitchfork was identified through the screen and convicted of murder after samples taken from him matched semen samples taken from the two dead girls.

Jeffreys refined his DNA fingerprinting technique, by developing DNA profiling based on highly variable minisatellites in the human genome. DNA profiling therefore focused on just a few of these highly variable minisatellites, making the system more sensitive, more reproducible and amenable to computer databasing. With highly automated and sophisticated equipment, the modern-day DNA fingerprinter can process hundreds of samples a day. Jeffreys' DNA profiling technique was the basis for the UK National DNA Database (NDNAD) launched in Britain in 1995. Under British law, anyone arrested has their DNA profile stored on a database (whether or not they are convicted). The DNA information of 3 million people is now stored on that database. Jeffreys has opposed the current use of his invention, where the government have access to that database, and has instead proposed a database of all people's DNA, whose access would be controlled by an independent third party.

Jeffreys and his team are now studying the effects of chronic irradiation such as that which has followed the melt down of the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl. Other areas of interest include analysis of human genome instability and recombination processes by single gamete and transgenic approaches. He is also investigating the effects of ionising radiation on germline mutation.

Awards and Recognition
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1986, declared Midlander of the Year in 1989 and appointed as a Royal Society Research Professor in 1991. He was made a freeman of the City of Leicester in 1992, and was knighted in 1994. In 1996, he was awarded the Albert Einstein World Award of Science. He was awarded the Australia Prize in 1998. In 2004 he was awarded his D.Sc. by the University of Leicester and the Royal Medal by the Royal Society. In 2005 he was awarded the Lasker Award for clinical medical research, with Edwin Southern of Oxford University. In December 2006 he was awarded the Degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by the University of Liverpool. In 2006, he was nominated for the Morgan Stanley Great Briton Award, for the Greatest Briton of the year, Professor Jeffreys emerged victorious in the category of Science and Innovation, and as the overall winner. His name has also featured consistently in the annual Nobel Prize speculation, but Jeffreys is yet to be awarded that distinction.

Jeffreys is a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association.