Peer Review of Potential Use of Human Hair Shaft Keratin Peptide Signatures to Distinguish Gender and Ethnicity

The manuscript "Potential use of human hair shaft keratin peptide signatures to distinguish gender and ethnicity" faced significant challenges in its current form, as noted by two knowledgeable peer reviewers and the editor. The reviewers acknowledged the potential usefulness of the method for human identification in forensic situations but emphasized the need for clarity and further development. The editor, Simon Silver, highlighted the outdated use of 2D gel electrophoresis, suggesting a shift to more modern techniques like liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy. While one reviewer doubted the feasibility of publication without substantial updates, the other was more optimistic, seeking responses to their critiques. The editor provided additional comments and marked the manuscript for further guidance, indicating that progress might be possible without new experiments, but no guarantees were made.