GHEP-ISFG collaborative simulated exercise for DVI/MPI: Lessons learned about large-scale profile database comparisons

• Published in: Forensic science international : genetics Vol. 21; pp. 45 - 53
• Main Authors: Vullo, Carlos M, Romero, Magdalena, Catelli, Laura, Šakić, Mustafa, Saragoni, Victor G, Jimenez Pleguezuelos, María Jose, Romanini, Carola, Anjos Porto, Maria João, Puente Prieto, Jorge, Bofarull Castro, Alicia, Hernandez, Alexis, Farfán, María José, Prieto, Victoria, Alvarez, David, Penacino, Gustavo, Zabalza, Santiago, Hernández Bolaños, Alejandro, Miguel Manterola, Irati, Prieto, Lourdes, Parsons, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.03.2016
• Subjects: Bayes Theorem; Biometric Identification - methods; Cooperative Behavior; Database comparisons; Databases, Genetic; Disaster victim identification; Disasters; DNA - analysis; DNA - genetics; DNA Fingerprinting - methods; DVI; Forensic Genetics - methods; Humans; Microsatellite Repeats; Missing person identification; MPI; Pathology; Pedigree; Portugal; Simulated identification exercise; Spain; Simulated identification exercise; Database comparisons; DVI; Missing person identification; Disaster victim identification; MPI
• ISSN: 1872-4973; 1878-0326
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2015.11.004

Highlights • The Spanish and Portuguese-speaking working group of ISFG has designed a simulated exercise on database comparisons for human identification. • The aim of the exercise was to introduce participants to the complexity of the identification of victims in disasters (DVI) or missing persons identification (MPI) scenarios. • The exercise focused on biostatistics for direct matching and kinship analysis in a Bayesian framework. • This study demonstrates that although a DNA forensic laboratory is experienced in kinship or criminalistics analysis, additional training in DVI or MPI is necessary in order to properly investigate these scenarios.