Born in Kenya and raised in Johannesburg, Dr Vanessa Lynch originally aspired to a career in fashion design but ultimately pivoted to law, where her love of debate found its true home. She holds a Doctorate of Laws (LLD) from Stellenbosch University. As regional director of DNAforAfrica and a government affairs consultant, Lynch operates at the intersection of law, science, and policy. Her work encompasses advising African governments on national DNA legislation, conducting policy workshops, mentoring postgraduate students, and serving on international boards, including the ISFG Forensic Databasing Advisory Board. For instance, she played a key role in the development of South Africa’s DNA Act, which has significantly improved the country’s criminal justice system. A typical day may include supervising research, attending policy meetings, or presenting at global conferences. She thrives on collaboration, capacity-building, and seeing how DNA systems transform justice, solve crimes, and bring closure to families. Her path into forensic DNA was shaped by personal tragedy: the murder of her father in 2004 and the absence of a system to use DNA evidence inspired her to found The DNA Project, which laid the foundation for South Africa’s DNA Act. Lynch is also a children’s author, creating the DNA-inspired character Professor Frite to spark curiosity in young forensic scientists. Her guiding principle: strive for excellence, not perfection, and never doubt yourself, even when others do.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Doctorate of Laws (LLD), Stellenbosch University
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of Cape Town
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Law, University of KwaZulu-Natal
ACHIEVEMENTS
Founding The DNA Project (2005) after my father’s murder, I launched my first advocacy initiative, which laid the foundation for South Africa’s DNA Act and the creation of the National Forensic DNA Database in South Africa. Legislative success in South Africa followed, with tireless lobbying over eight years, and later, sitting in Parliament in 2013 when the DNA Bill was passed into law (that moment!). I was then honoured to serve as Deputy Chair of the first National Forensic Oversight and Ethics Board (NFOEB), alongside the late and indomitable Justice Yvonne Mokgoro, where I saw first-hand how the DNA database helped identify and remove violent serial offenders from our streets. At the age of 50, I earned my LLD, tackling a sensitive topic on gender and privacy in forensic DNA reporting. This research has since influenced laboratory policies worldwide, and I was also asked to present my research at the 30th ISFG Conference in Spain — the only presenter from Africa out of 59 global experts and the only non-scientist. In 2021, I launched DNAforAfrica, taking the lessons learned in South Africa beyond its borders. This initiative built regional capacity and collaboration, gained the trust of other administrations, and created what I call the “DNAforAfrica family.” I have also been invited to serve on the ISFG Ethics Board, as one of just five people worldwide advising on ethical DNA database practices
