Developmental Validation of the Illumina Infinium Assay using the Global Screening Array (GSA) on the iScan System for use in Forensic Laboratories
Signature Science’s Center for Advanced Genomics® (CAG) is working to identify and assess the applicability of emerging technologies and methodologies for use in forensic DNA analyses. To this end, the CAG has validated array-based SNP genotyping using the lllumina® Global Screening Array (GSA) for use on forensic samples. As the demand for forensic genetic genealogy […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! New Approach to Skeletal Age-Estimation can Help Identify Juvenile Remains (Forensic – […]
Recreating Faces of Egyptian Mummies Using Ancient DNA
In this interview, Ellen Greytak (Director of Bioinformatics at Parabon Nanolabs) discusses how DNA advances have changed the field of anthropology and what we know about ancient humans. She also describes her poster presented at the 32nd International Symposium on Human Identification in which she shared the predicted faces of three ancient mummies from […]
Evaluation of the ForenSeq MainstAY Kit with Challenging Samples
My previous work involved the development of a kit using alternative markers, specifically Insertion Deletions (INDELs). The goal was to design a kit using ancestry informative markers (AIMs) to help differentiate samples based on ancestral genetic information. In addition, this INDEL kit was designed with amplicons less than 200 bp to maximize recovery with challenging […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! Can Ancient DNA Methods Be Used to Improve Success Rate of […]
The Wrongful Conviction of Lydell Grant for Murder in Texas: A Cautionary Tale of Faulty Eyewitness Identification and the Perils of “Inconclusive” DNA Mixture Statements
Today’s blog is written by guest blogger, Angie Ambers, MA, MS, PhD (Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science) and Mike Ware, JD (Innocence Project of Texas). Reposted from The ISHI Report with permission. Shortly before midnight on December 10, 2010 (a Friday night), patrons of Club Blur (a bar in the Montrose district […]
Mama’s Baby, Papa’s Maybe: How Misattributed Parentage and Other Challenges Can Complicate Your Investigative Genetic Genealogy Case
DNA Doe Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to name the nameless – to identify John and Jane Does using investigative genetic genealogy. While the humanitarian efforts of the group are the primary focus, I am pleased to write this guest blog for our friends at ISHI to share knowledge and contribute to […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! Police: DNA Helps Solve 1977 Slaying of Oregon Teens (The Columbian […]
Extracting and Purifying DNA from Challenging Calcified and Adhesive-Based Samples in Parallel Using a Walkaway Robotic System
Calcified samples or those that include an adhesive substrate may require more robust processing compared to routine forensic sample types. When performed manually, DNA extraction and purification of these challenging samples can impede overall laboratory efficiency and invite risks of human error and variability. A novel combination of assay chemistry and robotic workstation aid robust, […]