Abstract Background: Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based kinship analysis is now a cornerstone of modern forensic genomics. Imputation can be used to augment genome-wide SNP data from low-coverage whole-genome sequencing (LCWGS). The impact of imputation after LCWGS on genotyping error and its subsequent impact on kinship analysis are unknown. Methods: We assessed the... MORE

Abstract: Technological advances in sequencing and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping microarray technology have facilitated advances in forensic analysis beyond short tandem repeat (STR) profiling, enabling the identification of unknown DNA samples and distant relationships. Forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) has facilitated the identification of distant relatives of both unidentified remains... MORE

Abstract: Forensic genetic investigations typically rely on analysis of DNA for attribution purposes. There are times, however, when the amount and/or the quality of the DNA is limited, and thus little or no information can be obtained regarding the source of the sample. An alternative biochemical target that also contains genetic signatures... MORE

Abstract: Crime laboratories have been faced with large casework backlogs due to lengthy processing times, limited resources and scientists, and rising crime rates. Evidence related to sexual assault crimes, specifically sexual assault kits (SAKs), heavily contribute to the reported backlogs. Although more sensitive, faster chemistries and automated techniques have been... MORE