Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a specialized lab continues its critical mission: identifying the remains of victims and bringing closure to their families. The City of New York Office of Chief Medical Examiner houses a team of scientists, technologists, and anthropologists who have made a commitment to never give up on this endeavor. "We promised those families that we would continue to advance the technology and never give up," said Mark Desire, assistant director of forensic biology at the office. "That commitment is as great today as it was in 2001."

Desire, who was present at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attacks, described the forensic investigation as the largest and most difficult in U.S. history. The intense heat from jet fuel fires, water used for suppression, building chemicals, and sunlight all severely degraded DNA, making identification a formidable challenge. Many of the scientists on the current team were not old enough to recall the attacks but are driven by the ongoing mission.

Advancing Identification Technology

In August 2026, the 1,651st victim was identified through the lab's efforts. However, nearly 7,000 analyzed fragments have yet to be matched. The team employs cutting-edge methods, including forensic investigative genetic genealogy, to extract DNA from even the smallest bone fragments. This technology allows them to tap into genetic banks, construct family trees, and identify previously unknown relatives of victims.

"We've gone back to some bones 10 times, hoping that new technology will allow us to find DNA," Desire explained. The decision of when to re-examine a sample is complex, balancing the immediate possibility of identification with the potential for future technological advancements.

Historically, the process began with anthropologists distinguishing human remains from animal bones or older artifacts found at the site. DNA was then extracted from reference samples provided by the families of the missing. In the initial days, the office established a temporary morgue to handle the fragmented remains, as fewer than 100 victim bodies were recovered intact.

A Mission of Closure

Desire himself was a first responder to Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, arriving shortly after the second tower was hit. His jacket and wristwatch, which stopped at the moment of impact, are preserved in the lab as reminders of the commitment. "There is hugging and crying and the feeling is unbelievable. You can't turn your back on that," he said of the moments when remains are finally returned to families.

Paul Keating, whose mother Barbara Ann Keating was aboard American Airlines Flight 11, experienced this closure when she was identified in August 2026. "For the first time in so many years she's here. [The tragedy] never goes away. But any closure is good closure," Keating shared.

The lab's work extends beyond direct matches. Sometimes, personal belongings are identified even when the person's remains have not been found. In one instance, a firefighter's helmet was recovered and a DNA profile was generated, though the firefighter has not yet been identified.

Desire recalled a poignant request from a mother who feared she would die before holding her daughter again. He assured her the team would not give up, a promise that continues to drive their work a quarter-century later.