A new statistical method of forensic DNA analysis from the Translational Genomics Research Institute allows identification of individual DNA profiles from a mixture of DNA of more than 1000 people, but allows possible violations of the privacy of volunteers in genetic studies.

Craig’s method uses sophisticated algorithms to analyze between 10,000 and 50,000 genetic variants called single-nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs. Someone armed with an individual’s SNP profile — or that of a close relative – could use the method to determine whether that individual had participated in a genetic study, and whether they were in the group diagnosed with the disease, by analyzing overall frequencies of each SNP in the case and control groups.

To avoid this, research organisations led by NIH have abruptly pulled genome data from off the web.