Filling a Critical Need by Establishing a Fully Functioning, CODIS Dedicated Laboratory

• NCJ Number: 238909
• Author(s): Bill Gartside; Scott McWilliams
• Date Published: June 2012
• Length: 101 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2009-DN-BX-K249
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Award: FY 2009 Forensic DNA Unit Efficiency Improvement Program - Wyoming State Crime Laboratory

Annotation

This report describes the planning and implementation of a project that created an automated, fully functioning laboratory dedicated for CODIS DNA sample profiling in Wyoming.

Abstract

Prior to this project, there was no equipment or laboratory space at the Wyoming State Crime Laboratory (WSCL) dedicated for this purpose. A grant by the U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice funded the purchase of the laboratory test equipment necessary for this project. The Wyoming State Legislature funded the construction of a State laboratory building complex that contains over 1,000 square feet of space for the CODIS laboratory and CODIS administrative functions. The facility was completed in November 2010. Offender DNA samples are currently being collected and archived with Bode buccal collectors. The method for processing convicted-offender DNA samples uses BSD punchers for the robotic placement of 1.2mm punches in a 96 well plate. Punches are directly amplified without extraction or quantitation using Applied Biosystems (AB) Identifiler Plus kits. The amplification is performed using a Qiagen QIAgility robot, and amplification is performed in an AB 9700 thermal cycler. Analysis is performed with an AB 3500 eight-capillary genetic analyzer and AB GeneMapper ID-X data analysis software. The process is managed by Database Manager, an internally developed Excel-based Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) information management system that facilitates all aspects of the methodology. The current first-pass success rate for convicted-offender samples is greater than 95 percent. Samples that are not initially successful and difficult samples are re-routed through The WSCL Casework DNA laboratory for a more conventional analysis that includes DNA extraction and quantitation. DNA sample backlog has been significantly reduced by processing all convicted-offender DNA samples at the WSCL's CODIS laboratory. The turn-around time from sample reception to database entry has been reduced from just over 2 years to less than 60 days. 27 figures and appended software validation and method validation summaries