STRmix Senior Scientist Will Present at CA Association of Criminalists Seminar

Workshop Will Focus on DNA Profile Analysis in a Validated Process

STRmix Senior Scientist Dr. Meng-Han Lin will be among the featured presenters when the California Association of Criminalists (CAC) holds its 140th CAC Seminar, “Evidence Uncorked: Forensic Science Comes to Temecula,” from April 26-May 1 at the Temecula Creek Inn, Temecula, CA.

Dr. Lin, Helena Wong, a Criminalist at the Oakland Police Department, and Veronica Kearney, retired DNA Technical Leader at the Tucson Police Department Crime Laboratory, will present a workshop titled “DNA Profile Analysis in a Validated Process for Efficiency and Interpretation”, featuring FaSTR™ DNA, on Monday, April 27. The workshop will offer a fresh perspective on DNA profile analysis, focusing on enhancing efficiency, accuracy, validation, workflows, and the integration of probabilistic genotyping.

Specific topics to be examined during the FaSTR™ DNA Workshop include:

• Examining raw EPG data and the impact of peak smoothing on peak calls;
• Comparing sizing variations across different analysis software;
• Exploring operator tools for effective analysis;
• Understanding stutter modelling and its role in interpretation and determination of the number of contributors;
• Developing optimized workflows, including for technical review of DNA analysis; and
• Validating analysis software for reliable results. 
• In-depth discussions on implementation, training and workflows.

The Workshop will also offer live demonstrations of FaSTR™ DNA analysis software, determining the number of contributors using the decision tree and showing how integration with STRmix™ and DBLR™ completes the full workflow, from DNA analysis to interpretation and database matching.

Since its introduction in 2012, STRmix™, a groundbreaking forensic software used to resolve mixed DNA profiles previously considered too complex to interpret, has proven to be a highly effective tool in producing usable, interpretable, and admissible DNA results in more than 700,000 criminal cases worldwide. When used with FaSTR™ DNA (which rapidly analyzes raw DNA data and assigns a number of contributors estimate) and DBLR™ (which allows forensic laboratories to undertake extensive kinship analysis, carry out rapid database searches, visualize the value of their DNA mixture evidence, and carry out mixture-to-mixture matches), STRmix™ completes the full workflow(external link).

A Senior Scientist within the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science), Dr. Lin and has been part of the STRmix team since 2016. He is primarily responsible for the science development, testing, and validation of FaSTR™ DNA analysis software, as well as providing training and scientific support services for FaSTR™ DNA software to forensic laboratories internationally. He is a molecular biologist by training and completed a PhD (Molecular Genetics) at the University of Queensland (Australia).

The California Association of Criminalists is a California-based organization for professionals working in the field of criminalistics. The association strives to foster an exchange of ideas and information, and to encourage friendship and cooperation among laboratory personnel.

For more information about the 140th CAC Seminar, visit https://cacnews.org/events/seminar/seminarcurrent(external link). 

STRmix – A global leader in forensic DNA interpretation, trusted by more than 120 forensic laboratories worldwide.