Forensic Genomics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Method (NGS, PCR Amplification), By Product (Software, Consumables & Kits), By Application (Paternity & Familial, Criminal Testing), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030

Report Overview

The global forensic genomics market size was valued at USD 413.32 million in 2021 and is projected to attain a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.25% from 2022 to 2030. The industry growth is attributed to rapid technological advancements, increased private & government funding for the development of cost-effective forensic testing techniques, and an increasing number of crimes, such as homicides, kidnapping, and sexual assault. For instance, in January 2022, the National Institute of Justice announced offering funding of USD13 million to assist five projects as part of its program for research & evaluation for the testing and analysis of physical evidence in publicly-funded forensic laboratories. COVID-19 negatively impacted the global industry.

Local restrictions on the movement of goods affected the operations of forensic laboratories globally. Moreover, the higher risk of getting the SARS-COV-2 virus while handling biological samples like tissues and bodily fluids has hampered the demand for DNA forensics. The risk of direct infection to forensic investigators increases because biological fluid, such as semen, blood, tissues, saliva, and other evidence obtained at the crime site, may be susceptible to viral infection. Furthermore, the limited lab budget has contributed to the slow growth of the industry. Several fields in forensic science, including DNA analysis, are transforming globally. Novel techniques are created, implemented, and validated to support criminal investigations.

Researchers usually face challenges regarding the validity and accuracy of current and older techniques. For instance, in May 2021, Verogen Inc. entered into a partnership agreement with the forensic division of Eurofins Scientific to launch ForenSeq MainstAY Workflow. This would further support sexual assault cases and volume casework. Furthermore, the criminal testing application is projected to rapidly grow in the coming years. With the growing number of crimes globally, the demand for forensic genomics is anticipated to increase considerably. Approximately 743 homicide cases were reported in 2020, according to data from Statistics Canada. Homicide rates increased by 7% from 1.83 to 1.95 per 100,000 people in 2020, reaching its highest level since 2005. These factors would further drive the market.

Product Insights

The consumables & kits segment dominated the industry in 2021 and accounted for the maximum share of more than 65.30% of the overall revenue. The segment will expand further at the fastest CAGR retaining the leading position throughout the forecast period. The consumables segment includes needles, reaction tubes, clippers, pipettes, fingerprint powders, vials, labels, brushes, and crime scene kits. The growing number of criminal investigations, increased focus of governments on clearing the bottlenecks of crime cases, growing awareness about DNA profiling in criminology, and investments by public & private companies in forensic sciences are contributing to the segment’s growth.

For instance, Micronic Europe BV has introduced a traceable sample management product for donor banks and organizations looking to simplify the storage of tissue, bone, blood, and allograft bank materials. The analyzers & sequencers segment is also anticipated to register significant growth during the forecast period. Genetic analyzers are automated technologies that can analyze DNA fragments or sequence DNA for several applications. In November 2019, Thermo Fisher Scientific introduced a new Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) platform for forensic labs. The Applied Biosystems SeqStudio Genetic Analyzer for Human Identification is a cost-effective & user-friendly CE technology to provide STR-based DNA profiles of the highest quality without hampering its performance.

Method Insights

The CE segment dominated the global industry in 2021 and accounted for a revenue share of more than 40.95% of the overall revenue owing to its fully automated sample injection, separation, and detection approach. Several advancements and product launches by industry players are also contributing to the growth of this segment. For instance, in May 2022, Promega Corporation introduced Spectrum CE System for forensic laboratories.A CE device is a novel alternative for forensics labs that perform human identification in database cases and criminal casework to support their workflow.

The NGS segment is anticipated to witness the fastest growth rate during the forecast period. The growth of the segment is majorly attributed to the low cost and high throughput capacity of NGS. It has become an important tool for several companies and genomic researchers. For instance, in October 2020, Verogen Inc. entered into a partnership agreement with Cellmark Forensic Services to introduce IISO17025-certified forensic NGS service in the U.K. The ForenSeq DNA Signature Prep Kit and MiSeq FGx Sequencing System from Verogen will aid to resolve complicated relationship cases and investigations and provide the forensic community with advanced phenotypic insights.

Application Insights

The criminal testing application segment accounted for the highest share of more than 67.30% in 2021 owing to the increasing cases of crimes globally. Advanced techniques, such as DNA profiling, can be used to identify people based on their distinctive genetic makeup. The process can be useful to accurately solve crimes. Over the past few decades, DNA profiling has significantly transformed the criminal justice system, enhancing the possibility of virtually certain criminal identification. In October 2021, Special DNA testing units were launched in Mumbai, India under the Nirbhaya scheme for child and women sexual abuse cases.

With the crime rate growing up, the demand for forensic testing in this segment will increase during the forecast period. The paternity and familial testing segment are anticipated to witness a considerable growth rate in the coming years. In recent years, authorities in the U.S. have expressed an increasing interest in using Familial DNA Searching (FDS), a forensic method to identify family members using DNA databases, to support criminal investigations. Forensic genomic testing has helped solve crimes, frequently long after the investigative trial has dried up. In situations when there is no direct DNA match, FDS techniques are logical extensions. The aforementioned factors will drive segment growth in the coming years.

Regional Insights

North America dominated the global industry in 2021 and accounted for the largest share of 44.16% of the overall revenue due to the growing cases of violent crimes and the subsequent rise in forensic analyses in the region. According to statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the U.S., the murder rate increased to 30% in the year 2020. Similarly, in February 2022, an article published in NBC news stated that the number of hate crimes against the Asian American population has risen to unprecedented levels. The statistics published by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism exhibited that anti-Asian hate crimes grew by 339% in 2018 compared to 2017, in North America. These factors have contributed to the region’s growth.

Asia Pacific is estimated to be the fastest-growing region over the forecast period owing to several initiatives taken by governments and key industry players. For instance, in September 2022, the Chinese government announced to perform mass DNA testing by collecting the genetic material of Tibetans. This would further help track a man's male ancestors. In August 2022, Thermo Fisher Scientific collaborated with National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) to establish the Centre of Excellence for DNA Forensics in India. The facility has been equipped with advanced technologies, such as real-time PCR instruments, next-generation sequencers, DNA sequencers/genetic analyzers, and rapid DNA technologies along with software, consumables, and validation services.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Key players are entering into several strategic collaborations, partnerships, and geographical expansions with other players in emerging and economically favorable regions. For instance, in August 2022, Gene by Gene entered into a partnership agreement with Verogen, Inc. to accelerate the forensic research genetic genealogy adoption. This strategic alliance would offer standardized bioinformatic techniques and cost-effective whole genome sequencing services for FIGG analysis for complicated forensic samples. Some of the prominent companies in the global forensic genomics market include:

• GE Healthcare

• Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

• Agilent Technologies, Inc.

• Eurofins Discovery

• Gene by Gene, Ltd.

• Verogen, Inc.

• Illumina, Inc.

• Neogen Corp.

Forensic Genomics Market Report Scope

Global Forensic Genomics Market Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global forensic genomics market report based on product, method, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Analyzers & Sequencers

  • Software

  • Kits & Consumables

• Method Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Capillary Electrophoresis

  • Next-generation Sequencing

  • PCR Amplification

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Criminal Testing

  • Paternity & Familial Testing

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

    • South Korea

    • Australia

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

    • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE