The organisation pioneered the method in the years following the 1990s Balkan wars, after human remains were first discovered in mass graves in Bosnia.
In the years since its experts have identified the remains of over 18,000 people in various conflict and disaster zones around the world.
Spokesman Jasmin Agovic has told Kristina Kukolja the process starts with the collection of blood samples from a living relative.
He said the blood samples required from a family member would comprise four drops of blood to be entered into a DNA database.
“On the other side, what we would need is samples from the bodies taken from the aeroplane wreckage,” he said.
“These remains, as we’ve heard, are in very bad shape and it’s probably going to be able to identify them only through DNA.”
When asked how much DNA was needed to identify victims, Mr Agovic said only a tiny piece of the body, such as a tooth, was required.
“It can be - as in most cases with older remains - a tiny part of the bone such as the femur bone."
But he said it was too early to say what type of samples would be needed from the MH17 victims' remains.
“Whether this is going to be needed in working with the remains of the MH17 crash is still unknown, as is a lot of circumstances related to this crash. Maybe only parts of tissue will be examined.
“Without a proper inspection of the remains, it’s really too early to say.”
Listen to the full story in the audio player below:
