This study examined accuracy of forensic DNA mixture analysis for groups with lower genetic diversity.
In this study, researchers quantified the accuracy of DNA mixture analysis over 244 human groups and found higher false inclusion rates for mixtures with more contributors and for groups with lower genetic diversity. Even for two-contributor mixtures where one contributor is known and the reference group is correctly specified, false inclusion rates are 1e-5 or higher for 56 out of 244 groups. This means that, depending on multiple testing, some false inclusions may be expected. These false positives could be lessened with more selective and conservative use of DNA mixture analysis. Forensic investigation of DNA samples from multiple contributors has become commonplace. These complex analyses use statistical frameworks accounting for multiple levels of uncertainty in allelic contributions from different individuals, particularly for samples containing few molecules of DNA. These methods have been thoroughly tested along some axes of variation, but less attention has been paid to accuracy across human genetic variation.
Similar Publications
- Understanding the Broader Impacts of Body Worn Cameras on Police Work and Community Perceptions: A Multi-Method Assessment
- The Study of Tissue-Specific DNA Methylation as a Method for the Epigenetic Discrimination of Forensic Samples
- Flashforward: The Current and Future Applications of Vibrational Spectroscopy for Forensic Purposes