25th June 2009

The scientist who revolutionised crime-fighting when he discovered DNA fingerprinting has shared his enthusiasm for science with Notts teenagers.

Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, from Leicester University, addressed more than 100 sixth formers studying science at the Evolution East Midlands conference in Nottingham.

Sir Alec said: "If you can't enthuse people with the story of DNA fingerprinting, it's not possible. It's got murder, immigration, parentage. It's been used millions of times around the world and each one is a human drama."

When Sir Alec was carrying out research on genetics in 1984 he stumbled across the fact – "purely by good luck" – that people's DNA could be used to identify them or members of the family.

The discovery was made at a time when using DNA to catch criminals was "not even on the radar", but was used the following year in an immigration case. Since then it has been used to convict criminals, exonerate innocent suspects, and resolve thousands of paternity disputes.

Sir Alec said it was vital for the future of scientific and technological advances that young people were engaged in science.

But he said he believed young people may be deterred from taking science to higher education, as health and safety legislation prevented them from carrying out as many 'hands-on' experiments as he did when he was at school.

He said: "You need to actually get your hands dirty and be doing it yourself. Science is very exciting. You don't know what is around the corner, it's a voyage into the unknown. It's a great privilege to find out."

DNA fingerprinting has led to concerns over whether official bodies have a right to keep people's genetic information.

Sir Alec said it was right that criminals' DNA should be kept on file in case they re-offended – but he said he was against innocent people's genetic information being stored.

Pupils from The Becket School, Bilborough College, Bluecoat School, Aspley, Nottingham Girls' High School, Redhill School, Emmanuel School, New College Nottingham and The Brunts School, Mansfield, attended the conference at Biocity in Pennyfoot Street, in the city centre.

Becket School pupil Josh Haywood, 16, from Bingham, said: "I think biology is interesting and I particularly like human biology."

Fizza Jabbar, 17, a year 12 pupil at High Pavement College, said she was thinking of studying bio sciences at university.

Fizza, from Toton, said: "I wanted to come and do the lab sessions here. We're looking at turning stem cells into bone which is not something I would have the opportunity to do at college."

Dr Glenn Crocker, chief executive of BioCity, said: "I see events like this as a fundamental part of BioCity's role at the forefront of driving Nottingham to be one of the world's leading science cities."

The day was organised by bioKneX, Nottingham Science City, Nottingham Trent University and the East Midlands Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Partnership.

sarah.firth@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk

To hear a radio interview from a selection of the students, please click AssetLibrary/Events/biocity clip.mp3