About Us

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Launched in 2019 by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, UMID is India’s first identification portal and DNA database of its kind. The UMID Identification Portal and DNA Database assists in investigations and provides closure to families searching for their missing or unidentified loved ones following tragedies, by facilitating matches with DNA profiles stored in UMID’s Questioned database.

Biologically related relatives or family members submit saliva or blood samples to any of our centres for matching with the deceased claimed through phenotypic details on the identification portal/website. A DNA profile is then generated for each of these individuals and uploaded to the reference database, which is part of the UMID DNA database. These known DNA profiles are compared with the DNA profiles in the UMID Questioned DNA database. Once a match is confirmed, this information is passed on to investigating officer. To date, we have uploaded over thousands of profiles to the UMID DNA database, aiding in identifications.

For each entry on the database, there are many identifying features or phenotypic details that can help an individual narrow down the person that resembles the missing person the most. They can then approach the respective police stations, concerned centres, or directly visit AIIMS, Delhi, to submit an enquiry to assist in identifying and claiming the deceased. Our website is user-friendly, allowing anyone to search the database by entering details about their missing loved one. UMID is dedicated to offering support and hope to families across India.