DNA procedures

The field of genetics (not my field I hasten to add!) is already creepy beyond belief and getting more frightening daily. Once you have the DNA sequence for anything (downloadable off the Internet?), you can turn that code back into real DNA, or replicate it really quite cheaply now:

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20130324-synthesizing-dna-times-cheaper-with-a-dna-laser-printer.html

http://www.laserfocusworld.com/blogs/spectralbytes/2012/12/how-laser-printing-builds-dna.html

Say about $300,000, or under £200,000 even using current equipment, it will get a lot cheaper as progress is made. What people will try with his DNA I can only imagine.

Tony

The field of genetics (not my field I hasten to add!) is already creepy beyond belief and getting more frightening daily. Once you have the DNA sequence for anything (downloadable off the Internet?), you can turn that code back into real DNA, or replicate it really quite cheaply now:

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20130324-synthesizing-dna-times-cheaper-with-a-dna-laser-printer.html

http://www.laserfocusworld.com/blogs/spectralbytes/2012/12/how-laser-printing-builds-dna.html

Say about $300,000, or under £200,000 even using current equipment, it will get a lot cheaper as progress is made. What people will try with his DNA I can only imagine.

Tony

I write on behalf of the University of Leicester in response to your request, dated 14th January, made under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Our response is as follows.

a) What tests are in progress on the remains of King Richard III, and what is the timeframe for their completion?

(i) Analysis of evidence for trauma to the skeleton in order to determine how Richard III might have died and the nature of the injuries received and weapons used. This analysis has now been completed and a paper has been submitted for publication in the Lancet: we await a response to see if they will publish it and if so, whether any revisions are required.

(ii) Analysis of ancient DNA to provide a match with modern-day relatives. This work is still in progress and the current plan is to submit an article for publication in late February- early March 2014.

(iii) Analysis of the spinal disorder - Scoliosis. This is complete and a paper has been submitted to the Lancet and accepted subject to revisions. The revisions have been made and the paper resubmitted, but as yet we do not have any information about a publication date

(iv) Analysis of soil samples from the grave and adhering to the skeleton for evidence of intestinal parasites. The results of this research have been published in a paper in the Lancet.

(v) Analysis of stable isotopes to provide further information on the diet and environment of Richard III and how this might have changed over time. This research has now been completed and a paper is about to be submitted to a national journal for publication. We do not yet have a date for publication.

(vi) Analysis of dental plaque for evidence of diet. Ongoing, publication 2015.

(vii) Analysis of dentition. Ongoing, publication 2015.

b) What tests, not yet in progress are planned on the remains of King Richard III and what is the timeframe for their completion.

Further work is planned on DNA sequencing which would require further sampling from the skeleton (before end July 2014) but is subject to external funding which has yet to be finalised/contracted. Apart from that, there are no further tests planned to the skeletal remains other than those currently in progress. However, until the majority of the outstanding scientific studies listed above have been published in peer-reviewed journals, access to the skeleton of Richard III will be required as it is possible, in relation to certain study areas, that following the observations of academic referees, further works/checks will need to be made to confirm points of interpretation. Once the key publications have appeared - hopefully before the end of July 2014 - we should be able to finalise the general skeletal report so that it can be released and ultimately incorporated into the site monograph which will be published at a later date.

If you have any concerns or wish to complain about any aspect of this response then in the first instance please contact the University's Freedom of Information Officer (Mr Colin Atkinson: 0116 252 2412, ca46@...).

Please be aware that it is also your legal right under Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act, to apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision whether a request for information made to the University has been dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the Act. It should be noted that there is a requirement that there will be no undue delay in making the application and there is an expectation that the complainant will have exhausted the University's internal complaints procedure.

Complaints to the Information Commissioner should be addressed to:

FoI Compliance Team (Complaints)

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

I hope you find this response helpful. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any queries regarding the above.

Regards,

------------------------------ ------------------------

Paul Starkey

Senior Information Assurance Officer

Information Assurance Services

University of Leicester,

University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH,

Tel. 0116 229 7945

mailto:ps274@...

Response to FoI request filed by [not by me]

I write on behalf of the University of Leicester in response to your request, dated 14th January, made under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Our response is as follows.

a) What tests are in progress on the remains of King Richard III, and what is the timeframe for their completion?

(i) Analysis of evidence for trauma to the skeleton in order to determine how Richard III might have died and the nature of the injuries received and weapons used. This analysis has now been completed and a paper has been submitted for publication in the Lancet: we await a response to see if they will publish it and if so, whether any revisions are required.

(ii) Analysis of ancient DNA to provide a match with modern-day relatives. This work is still in progress and the current plan is to submit an article for publication in late February- early March 2014.

(iii) Analysis of the spinal disorder - Scoliosis. This is complete and a paper has been submitted to the Lancet and accepted subject to revisions. The revisions have been made and the paper resubmitted, but as yet we do not have any information about a publication date

(iv) Analysis of soil samples from the grave and adhering to the skeleton for evidence of intestinal parasites. The results of this research have been published in a paper in the Lancet.

(v) Analysis of stable isotopes to provide further information on the diet and environment of Richard III and how this might have changed over time. This research has now been completed a nd a paper is about to be submitted to a national journal for publication. We do not yet have a date for publication.

(vi) Analysis of dental plaque for evidence of diet. Ongoing, publication 2015.

(vii) Analysis of dentition. Ongoing, publication 2015.

b) What tests, not yet in progress are planned on the remains of King Richard III and what is the timeframe for their completion.

Further work is planned on DNA sequencing which would require further sampling from the skeleton (before end July 2014) but is subject to external funding which has yet to be finalised/contracted. Apart from that, there are no further tests planned to the skeletal remains other than those currently in progress. However, until the majority of the outstanding scientific studies listed above have been published in peer-reviewed journals, access to the skeleton of Richard III will be required as it is possible, in relation to certain study areas, that following the observations of academ ic referees, further works/checks will need to be made to confirm points of interpretation. Once the key publications have appeared - hopefully before the end of July 2014 - we should be able to finalise the general skeletal report so that it can be released and ultimately incorporated into the site monograph which will be published at a later date.

If you have any concerns or wish to complain about any aspect of this response then in the first instance please contact the University's Freedom of Information Officer (Mr Colin Atkinson: 0116 252 2412, ca46@...).

Please be aware that it is also your legal right under Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act, to apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision whether a request for information made to the University has been dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the Act. It should be noted that the re is a requirement that there will be no undue delay in making the application and there is an expectation that the complainant will have exhausted the University's internal complaints procedure.

Complaints to the Information Commissioner should be addressed to:

FoI Compliance Team (Complaints)

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

I hope you find this response helpful. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any queries regarding the above.

Regards,

------------------------------ ------------------------

Paul Starkey

Senior Information Assurance Officer

Information Assurance Services

University of Leicester,

University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH,

Tel. 0116 229 7945

mailto:ps274@leic ester.ac.uk