Podcast Takes Listeners Inside the DNA Labs Solving America’s Toughest Cases.

Forensics play a key role in many stories told by true crime podcasts, but a new series called America’s Crime Lab will take it a step further. The show is being produced in a partnership with Othram, a U.S.-based forensic technology company behind the scenes of groundbreaking investigations, revealing how scientists, detectives, victim advocates, and families work together to solve violent crimes and identify unknown victims.

America’s Crime Lab blends cutting-edge science with emotional storytelling, tracing real cases from mystery to resolution. The series centers on the work of Othram, a lab that has solved more cases using forensic genealogy than any other organization, across the U.S. and internationally. That includes everything from decades-old cases to current-day investigations, such as the identification of Bryan Kohberger, who recently confessed to the 2022 murders of four Idaho college students. The podcast offers a look at how modern science is transforming the pursuit of justice.

“With the right tools, every case, current or cold, can be solved,” said Othram CEO David Mittelman. “We’re thrilled to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the science driving these breakthroughs and the profound impact it has on investigators and families searching for answers.”

The series is hosted by Elin Lantz Lesser, a Minneapolis-based producer, former clinical psychologist, and host of the award-winning podcast The Turning. With a background in academic research and years of therapeutic practice, Lesser brings an analytical eye to the stories.

“There are a lot of true crime shows out there, but this one is different,” said Lantz Lesser. “We’re at a turning point in the science of solving crime, and this series offers a rare look inside a lab that’s changing everything. The pace of breakthroughs is accelerating and that makes these stories even more surprising, emotional and unforgettable.”

Kaleidoscope is a New York-based podcast company founded by Oz Woloshyn, host of TechStuff, and Mangesh Hattikudur, co-founder of the online magazine Mental Floss and former Senior VP of Podcast Development at iHeartMedia. The network focuses on tech and science content.

“America’s Crime Lab is exactly the sort of high-impact storytelling we strive for at Kaleidoscope,” said Hattikudur. “The show lives at the intersection of science, technology and humanity, and Elin Lantz Lesser brings rare sensitivity and investigative depth to this series.”

America’s Crime Lab is the latest addition to Kaleidoscope and iHeartPodcasts’ growing slate of shows. Joining their flagship show TechStuff are series including Levittown, a deepfake AI true crime series in collaboration with Bloomberg; Part-Time Genius, hosted by Hattikudur and Will Pearson; Kill Switch, hosted by Emmy-winning journalist Dexter Thomas; and On Musk With Walter Isaacson, among others.

“Some of the most powerful stories are those that give voice to the long unheard,” said Woloshyn. “America’s Crime Lab shows how science and technology can deliver justice, even decades later. We’re grateful to iHeartMedia and Othram for helping us share these stories with the care they deserve.”

New episodes of America’s Crime Lab will drop every Wednesday. It is distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

Kaleidoscope last week announced that it had raised $5 million that it will use to support the launch of several tech and science-focused podcasts in the coming months.