Immune Fingerprinting as a Future Tool in Forensic Investigations

Abstract

The field of forensic science is evolving rapidly toward the use of molecularly unique biological signatures that extend beyond traditional DNA fingerprinting. One emerging concept is Immune Fingerprinting, which is based on the understanding that each individual possesses a unique immune repertoire generated through somatic recombination (V(D)J recombination) of T-cell receptor (TCR) and B-cell receptor (BCR) genes. Recent studies have shown that this immunological diversity forms a personalized and stable Immune Repertoire Signature, potentially as distinctive as the genetic fingerprint. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and advanced bioinformatics (immunosequencing), it is possible to map an individual’s immune landscape -providing insights into both personal identification and immune exposure history.This paper aims to review recent advances in immune repertoire analysis, exploring its feasibility as a forensic identification tool capable of linking biological evidence (e.g., blood, saliva, tissue) to specific individuals. Ethical and legal implications are also discussed, particularly regarding privacy concerns, temporal variability, and data protection challenges in the storage of immune-based identifiers. Immune fingerprinting represents a visionary step toward integrating immunological diversity into forensic practice - transforming the concept of biological identity from a static genetic code into a dynamic record of an individual’s immune life history.