Behind every unidentified person is a family waiting for answers—and for Carlos Morales, that human connection is at the heart of his work. As part of the Center for Human Identification (CHI) at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Carlos has spent years advancing the use of forensic DNA to reunite names with the nameless and bring closure to families who have waited far too long.
At ISHI 2025, Carlos will present “Expanding Forensic Services for the Missing and Unidentified: CHI’s National Initiative to Support Underserved and Tribal Communities.” His talk highlights a national effort to strengthen DNA capacity for small, rural, tribal, and migrant communities that often face barriers to forensic resources. By combining outreach, free DNA collection kits, advanced analyses, and cross-jurisdictional collaboration, CHI’s initiative is not only closing cases—it’s closing gaps in access, trust, and equity across the forensic landscape.
What was happening in your lab, case, or field that made this work feel urgent or necessary? What sparked this presentation?
CHI has worked on missing persons and unidentified human remains cases for decades. Through this experience, we’ve identified ongoing gaps in outreach and services for rural, tribal, and migrant communities that face unique challenges in the identification of human remains.
With support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), our current initiative is addressing these challenges by providing resources to agencies and families who might otherwise wait years without answers.
I am presenting this work at ISHI, a forum that brings together laboratory directors, DNA analysts, CODIS administrators, as well as law enforcement and community leaders, because collaboration across these groups is essential to advancing this effort. Our goal is to share CHI’s laboratory model and targeted outreach approach, and to foster dialogue that encourages collective action toward resolving missing persons and unidentified human remains cases.
If someone walks out of your talk with one tool, mindset, or strategy—what should it be?
That forensic databasing and collaboration aren’t just technical tools—they are humanitarian lifelines that can restore identity and dignity to families.
Let’s play “myth vs. reality.” What’s one thing people think they know about the topic you’re presenting on—but totally get wrong?
Myth: CODIS alone solves most missing persons cases.
Reality: Success often depends on comprehensive approaches, including outreach, FRS collection, combining technologies (Y-STRs, mtDNA, SNPs), and cross-border collaboration.
If you had unlimited time and no red tape, what’s one experiment or idea you’d chase tomorrow?
I would expand international DNA data-sharing agreements across the Americas to create seamless humanitarian networks for case resolution.
Let’s be honest—what’s the hardest part of your work right now? What helps you stay engaged or motivated in your role—especially when things get intense?
The hardest part is resource and jurisdictional fragmentation. What keeps me motivated is the potential to obtain DNA-based associations. At the end of the day, we know each identification is more than a case, it’s someone’s loved one finally being identified and a family obtaining closure.