News

New Preprint: Predicting Neutron Tadiation Exposure Characteristics from an in vitro Human Skin Model Using RNA-seq

Abstract: Accurate assessment of low-dose neutron radiation exposure remains a central challenge in biodosimetry, particularly for applications requiring non-invasive sample types such as skin. Here, we characterized the transcriptional response of a three-dimensional in vitro human skin model (EpiDermFT) to neutron irradiation at doses up to 0.75 Gy, measured from pre-exposure through a 14-day post-exposure period. RNA sequencing revealed greater than 800 significantly altered genes, including upregulation of FOS, FOSB, CDKN1A, MDM2, and GADD45A, and downregulation of NRG1, H3C11, and CENPX. Gene ontology enrichment indicated activation of DNA damage checkpoint signaling, cell cycle arrest, and stress-response pathways, alongside suppression of nucleosome assembly and DNA replication processes. Machine … MORE

Published in “Applied Biosafety”: Inter-tool Analysis of a NIST Dataset for Assessing Baseline Nucleic Acid Sequence Screening

Abstract: Introduction: Nucleic acid synthesis is a dual-use technology that can benefit fields such as biology, medicine, and information storage. However, synthetic nucleic acids could also potentially be used negligently and ultimately cause harm, or be used with malicious intent to cause … MORE

Horizon Newsletter – November 2025

Collaboration Leads to a Breakthrough in a Case That’s Close to Home After over 30 years, breakthroughs in forensic science have led investigators to identify a person of interest in the 1991 murders of four young Austin-area girls; Eliza Thomas, Amy … MORE

Viruses swirl into an electrified sensor

Signature Science Membership on ARPA-H BREATHE Program Team Announced

October 22, 2025 • A press release issued by The University of Virginia Biocomplexity Institute announced that the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has awarded a contract for up to $40 million through its Bioaerosol Risk Assessment interVention Engineering … MORE

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NIST Center for AI Standards and Innovation Selects Signature Science, LLC for AI Safety Basic Ordering Agreement

Company will apply biological and chemical threat expertise to evaluate AI models for risk of malicious misuse. AUSTIN, TEXAS – October 21, 2025 – Signature Science, LLC, has been selected for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for AI Standards and Innovation’s (CAISI’s) Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) for the development of benchmarks for assessing the chemical and biological capabilities and safety of frontier artificial intelligence (AI) models. NIST CAISI will use the BOA construct to issue and award task orders under a $3M ceiling.  AI presents enormous opportunities for scientific breakthroughs alongside the potential for significant risks. Modern AI … MORE

SIlhouette of a man with a dna helix in front

Authorized Statement on the Yogurt Shop Murders Investigation  

October 07, 2025 – After over 30 years, breakthroughs in forensic science have led investigators to identify a person of interest in the 1991 murders of four young Austin-area girls; Eliza Thomas, Amy Ayers, and sisters Jennifer Harbison and Sarah … MORE

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Horizon Newsletter – July 2025

We’re excited to launch our new dedicated forensics website designed to make working with Signature Science easier and more efficient than ever before!  The new website features: Comprehensive Forensic DNA Testing Services – In-depth information on our full suite of forensic DNA testing capabilities Streamlined … MORE

Image of two women smiling. Text reads 2025 SigSci Interns

Our Interns’ Summer with SigSci Forensics

Each summer, Signature Science, LLC welcomes at least one intern to assist with research in our Center for Advanced Genomics (CAG). The research and validations performed at the CAG are shared with the forensic community in the form of open-source … MORE

Green background image of DNA helix. Text reads An Evaluation of Biothreat Screening Tools

New Preprint: Inter-Tool Analysis of a NIST Dataset for Assessing Baseline Nucleic Acid Sequence Screening

Abstract: Nucleic acid synthesis is a dual-use technology that can benefit fields such as biology, medicine, and information storage. However, synthetic nucleic acids could also potentially be used negligently and ultimately cause harm, or be used with malicious intent to cause … MORE

An image of a man gripping his stomach in pain. Text reads: A New Way to think about biosafety/biosecurity screening. Demonstrated Pathogenesis

The Case for Limiting “Sequences of Concern” to Those with Demonstrated Pathogenic Function

Abstract: Screening synthetic nucleic acid orders for sequences of concern is a necessary part of a healthy biosecurity regime, but it exacts costs for nucleic acid providers. Taxonomy is and will remain a critical part of the decision-making process for screening, … MORE

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Horizon Newsletter – April 2025

Accredited FGG Services to Better Serve You! Signature Science’s Advanced Genomics Laboratory has been accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 quality standard for forensic testing of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). As part of the accreditation process, our … MORE

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