Announcements

DNAxs 2.0 Software Training Workshops

The Netherlands Forensic Institute has developed, validated and implemented a user-friendly software program, or DNA eXpert System, that is denoted DNAxs. This software suite enables the data management and probabilistic interpretation of DNA profiles. DNAxs includes features to view, infer and match autosomal short tandem repeat profiles with connectivity to up and downstream software programs. Through the DNAxs2.0 project (funded by the European Union’s International Security Fund – Police, proposal nr 820838), the software is currently in a multi laboratory validation process across forensic institutes in Cologne (UKK), Ecully (INPS), Innsbruck (MUI) and Ljubljana (MNZ RS). The DNAxs software will be disseminated through two workshops, one held on February 27th & 28th 2020 in The Hague, The Netherlands and one on April 21st & 22nd 2020 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. During the workshops participants will be trained in using DNAxs and will be given guidance on the internal validation and implementation within their own workflow (see workshop flyer). For further details on DNAxs and to register your interest for participation in one of the workshops, please visit: https://www.forensicinstitute.nl/research-and-innovation/european-projects/dnaxs

12th Haploid Markers Meeting 2020

The 12^th Haploid Markers Meeting will take place May 13-16, 2020 in Budapest, Hungary. The Conference motto is “Big data – stretching the borders of forensic genetics”. Novel sequencing techniques have significantly increased the body of haploid data and will continue to shape our understanding of extant lineage variation. This also impacts forensic applications. Therefore, attendees who specialize in this aspect are encouraged to submit relevant abstracts. The organizers invite papers on a variety of topics including

• forensic biostatistics of haploid markers
• haploid markers in the courtroom
• evidential value of high-resolution mtDNA and Y haplotypes - new sequencing technologies and bioinformatics
• update on forensic databases
• population structure and inference on its history
• forensic genealogical testing
• human evolutionary genomics
• ethical considerations in the context of phenotyping and biogeographic ancestry testing

All conference details can be retrieved from the meeting website http://www.hm2020.hu/

Gordon Research Conference 2020

Announcing the next Gordon Research Conference Forensic Analysis of Human DNA, June 21-26, 2020, in Mount Snow, West Dover, VT, United States. Congress Chair are Sarah Seashols Williams and Steven Lee.

• Conference Flyer
• Congress Website

Online courses in forensic statistics and DNA evidence interpretation at the University of Lausanne

• Registrations opened, courses start in March 2018

These courses necessitate no pre-requisites in statistics and are tailored for forensic scientists. They are meant to be practical and help you in your daily work. You will benefit from personal feedback and will be able for example to work on your own casework.

Essentials of DNA Interpretation - short course (150 hours, 5 ECTS)

You encounter challenging casework, are a forensic DNA specialist who is not fully at ease with the literature published on DNA interpretation given sub-source level propositions (e.g., probabilistic software, formulation of propositions, LR), then the course ‘Essentials of DNA interpretation’ is meant for you. For more information

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Statistics and the Evaluation of Forensic Evidence (470 hours, 20 ECTS)

You want to assess the value of biological results given activity level propositions but are unsure this can be done in casework? You want to further develop your skills in managing forensic interpretation issues from case reception to court and feel at ease with the debates on interpretation issues? Then, you will find more information on our Certificate of Advanced studies here

Essentials of Bayesian Networks - short course (150 hours, 5 ECTS)

You are familiar with interpretation issues and want to use Bayesian Networks in your daily practice? This course will give you a comprehensive view of the use of BNs for the probabilistic evaluation of scientific evidence in forensic science applications. It will provide you with in-depth study of the various aspects that a solid mastery of BNs in practical applications demands. For more information