Once these are separated, a photo is taken of the gel, providing a picture of the separated molecular parts. This process is called electrophoresis and helps us to better understand and identify the molecular components of living things. Forensics In the world of forensics, gel electrophoresis is used to obtain a DNA fingerprint of a criminal. This means that scientists can accurately tell whether two pieces of DNA, one found at a crime scene and one belonging to a suspect, are matches.