While the analysis of human DNA has been the focus of large-scale collaborative endeavors, non-human forensic DNA analysis has not benefited from the same funding streams and coordination of effort. Consequently, the development of standard marker panels, allelic ladders and allele-specific sequence data comparable to those established for human forensic genetics has lagged. To meet that need f...

Forensic genetics, leveraging molecular tools and scientific applications, has witnessed significant advancements in DNA analysis over the last three decades. These progressions have enhanced discrimination power, speed, sensitivity of profiling methods, enabling challenging samples. This article explores significance forensic genetics criminal investigations, traces historical evolution techni...

Insights into the human mitochondrial phylogeny have been primarily achieved by sequencing full mitochondrial genomes (mtGenomes). In forensic genetics (partial) mtGenome information can be used to assign haplotypes to their phylogenetic backgrounds, which may, in turn, have characteristic geographic distributions that would offer useful information in a forensic case. In addition and perhaps e...

Research in psychiatric genetics has been revolutionized by the development of new and powerful molecular genetic techniques. Family, twin, and adoption studies of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and criminality are reviewed, and ramifications of new research methods for the study of antisocial behavior are considered. Implications of these developments for forensic psychiatry are discus...

In recent years, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) typing has become established as a powerful tool for forensic investigations. The sequencing of mtDNA is now a standard laboratory procedure for the examination of degraded casework samples of human origin, with unique advantages over nuclear DNA profiling systems. Nonetheless, the use of mtDNA in non-human forensic science has only recently gained att...

The singularity of population structure observed in Finland is the ultimate result of a number of factors in history. Finland’s late emergence from the Pleistocene era coupled with its geographical isolation, low initial density of the breeding population and limited gene flow have ultimately contributed to genetic dissociation from the rest of Europe, post-expansion amplification of distinctiv...

Deficiency paternity cases, characterized by the absence of the alleged father, are a challenge for forensic genetics. Here we present four cases with a female child and a deceased alleged father in which the analysis of a set of 21 or 22 autosomal STRs (AS STRs) produced results within a range of doubt when genotyping relatives of the alleged father. Aiming to increase the Paternity Index (PI)...

The DNA commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG) was convened at the 21st congress of the International Society for Forensic Genetics held between 13 and 17 September in the Azores, Portugal. The purpose of the group was to agree on guidelines to encourage best practice that can be universally applied to assist with mixture interpretation. In addition the commission w...

This paper delivers population genetic data on Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms along with reports of unusual observations and casework. Population studies were carried out on the Y-specific STR polymorphisms DYS19, DYS385 I+II, DYS389 I+II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, and DYS393 in population samples from North India, Turkey, and Germany. In all three populations the vast majo...