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A simple swab of saliva and cells from inside a mouth can solve crimes and determine parenthood, but DNA is now also gaining popularity as art.
With clean lines and geometrical patterns, the modern art look of genetic profiles has sparked a growing trend for (1) DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, portraits - possibly the most unique picture of a person that they could hang on their walls.
"We're in an era of mass personalization - from jeans to shoes to cars," said Adrian Salamunovic, of Canadian-based DNA 11. "There's also a huge explosion of interest in (2) forensics,CSI (Crime Scene Investigation television series) and DNA."
The New York version of the popular crime drama, CSI:NY, even used a piece of DNA 11 art in a recent episode where a suspect was caught after her DNA portrait was matched to a crime without the need for a warrant.
DNA is used to solve crimes, identify bodies, and determine paternity and can be extracted from samples of blood, bone, hair and other body tissues, but it is typically taken from a swab of the cheek inside a person's mouth. It is a goldmine for scientists developing everything from vaccines to crops.
(3)DNA 11 art has become one of the best-selling products at New York's Museum of Modern Art store. A person's DNA profile is printed on to a colored canvas chosen at www.dna11.com.
Salamunovic said that since the company started in 2005, thousands of prints have been sold in 52 countries and demand for the portraits, which start at $390, was growing at about 20 percent a month. Reuters
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