IIT-BHU wins National Award for forensic age estimation tech

VARANASI: A research team from the School of Biochemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, won top honours at the Forensic Hackathon 2025, held as part of the All India Forensic Science Summit and organised by the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The award, presented by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, recognised the team’s breakthrough in developing a glycan-based forensic technology for accurate age estimation using biological fluids.
The award-winning team, led by Prof. Sumit Kumar Singh from the School of Biochemical Engineering, included Santanu Singh (PhD Scholar) and Pranav Chopra (BTech Student). The team received a cash prize of Rs two lakh and a memento in recognition of their innovation, which promises to transform the landscape of forensic investigations in India.
Prof. Singh said that while DNA-based forensic analysis, including epigenetic markers, showed promise in estimating age, these approaches often worked well only at the population level due to biological variability and technological limitations.
DNA methylation-based models required pristine DNA and suffered from decreased accuracy when working with degraded samples or individuals from diverse backgrounds, which is common in forensic settings. Recognising these challenges, the IIT (BHU) team turned to glycans—complex sugar molecules that naturally attach to proteins in the human body and change systematically with age, health, and lifestyle.
The team’s approach uses glycomic profiling coupled with machine learning algorithms to decode molecular signatures from biofluids, enabling the estimation of both chronological age and biological age. Biological age, in particular, provides valuable context about an individual's health status, immune condition, or physiological stress, which can offer critical leads during criminal investigations.
This molecular-level insight holds immense value in a variety of forensic scenarios. For instance, it can help narrow down suspect profiles when no DNA match is found by estimating the age range of the person who left behind the biological sample.
It can aid in the identification of unknown victims in homicide cases or mass disasters by matching estimated age with missing persons data. In crime scenes involving multiple contributors, age-specific profiling can help differentiate between individuals.
The method also offers promise in verifying claims of juvenility or age misrepresentation, particularly in legal cases involving underage offences or trafficking.
Additionally, the ability to assess a person’s biological age and physiological condition at the time of the incident may offer clues into their stress levels or chronic health conditions, helping to reconstruct the circumstances or timeline of a crime.
These applications collectively show the transformative potential of glycan-based molecular forensics in delivering precise, rapid, and context-rich information beyond what traditional DNA-based tools provide.
According to Prof. Singh, this method addresses key limitations of current forensic techniques by offering rapid analysis, robust performance with degraded samples, and a non-invasive workflow. “Our vision is to create a toolkit that’s not only scientifically accurate but also field-deployable by forensic labs and investigative agencies across the country,” he added.
A major pillar of the team’s future roadmap is the development of India’s first glycomic age reference database, which will serve as a national resource to power forensic and biomedical applications. “Unlike DNA, glycan profiles are influenced by age, region, and environmental exposure, making them uniquely suited for population-specific forensic tools,” said Santanu Singh.
“We already submitted proposals to national funding agencies with the goal of building a diverse, representative glycan dataset across Indian age groups and communities,” added Pranav Chopra. Such a database, once developed, will not only enhance the predictive accuracy of age estimation tools but also support research into ageing, disease progression, and longevity, helping to address broader issues in public health and personalised medicine.
The team envisions this platform as a core component of India’s scientific infrastructure, enabling innovations in forensics, food safety, biomedicine, and national security.
The Director of IIT (BHU), Prof. Amit Patra, congratulated the team for their impactful work and noted that the innovation aligns well with national priorities such as Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. “This is exactly the kind of indigenous, science-driven initiative that the country needs to solve complex problems in law enforcement, healthcare, and biosecurity. IIT (BHU) is committed to nurturing such technologies and ensuring they reach the common man,” he remarked.
The technology already gained attention at national forums and scientific conferences and is being positioned for translation into real-world forensic applications. With support from govt agencies, the team aims to scale this effort into a nationwide glycomic surveillance initiative, cementing India’s leadership in next-generation molecular forensics.