What can your fingerprints reveal about your lifestyle?

  1. Research /
  2. Research in action /
  3. See all research projects /
  4. What can your fingerprints reveal about your lifestyle?
REF 2021 Research Excellence Framework logo

About this project

Explore the people and organisations behind this research, and find related publications by the research team.

Research team

Professor Simona Francese Cameron Heaton Dr Laura Cole Dr Richard McColm Katie Kennedy Mr Mark Sealey DTSL

Research areas

Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre Industry and Innovation Research Institute

Research partners

Chris Gannicliffe (Scottish Police Authority) Dr Steven Bleay DSTL Porton Down Elite Forensic Services LLC Ministry of Justice Yorkshire and Humber Regional Scientific Support Services

Funding partners

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Home Office UK Medical Research Council Yorkshire and Humber Regional Scientific Support Services

Related courses

Our teaching is informed by research. Browse undergraduate and postgraduate courses with links to this research project, topic or team.

Biosciences and chemistry courses Criminology courses

Get in touch

Find key contacts for enquiries about funding, partnerships, collaborations and doctoral degrees.

Contact us
20 April 2021

What can your fingerprints reveal about your lifestyle?

Inclusive and Just Society REF2021 Bioscience
REF 2021

This case study was included as part of the Research Excellence Framework for 2021:

First published 6 March 2018 • Reading time: 1 minute

Thanks to a new technique developed by our researchers, police can now discover more about the state of mind of a suspect.

Professor Simona Francese and her team have made a significant breakthrough into how fingerprints are analysed.

It centres around Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Mass Spectrometry technology. Simona's team developed further this technology and adapted it to analyse and visualise the chemical information of a fingerprint.

It is now possible to use this technology in police casework where prints can be used far more effectively.

The results allow investigators insight into the lifestyle and frame of mind of a suspect – and create a far more detailed profile.

REF 2021 Research Excellence Framework logo

About this project

Explore the people and organisations behind this research, and find related publications by the research team.

Research team

Professor Simona Francese Cameron Heaton Dr Laura Cole Dr Richard McColm Katie Kennedy Mr Mark Sealey DTSL

Research areas

Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre Industry and Innovation Research Institute

Research partners

Chris Gannicliffe (Scottish Police Authority) Dr Steven Bleay DSTL Porton Down Elite Forensic Services LLC Ministry of Justice Yorkshire and Humber Regional Scientific Support Services

Funding partners

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Home Office UK Medical Research Council Yorkshire and Humber Regional Scientific Support Services

Related courses

Our teaching is informed by research. Browse undergraduate and postgraduate courses with links to this research project, topic or team.

Biosciences and chemistry courses Criminology courses

Get in touch

Find key contacts for enquiries about funding, partnerships, collaborations and doctoral degrees.

Contact us

Related projects

Indian police officers participating in the Justice for Her programme
Training India's police officers to deal with violence against women

Professor Alan Smith, Sheffield Hallam University
How can a broken lightbulb solve a crime?

British police officers on patrol
Making algorithm policing fairer