Results of the 2015 Relationship Testing Workshop of the English Speaking Working Group

Abstract

Annually, members of the English Speaking Working Group of the International Society for Forensic Genetics are invited to participate in a Relationship Testing Workshop. In 2015, 64 laboratories participated. Here, we present the results from the 2015 workshop, which included relationship testing of blood samples from a mother, two children and an alleged father. Furthermore, the laboratories filled in a questionnaire concerning the laboratory strategies and routines. Finally, the laboratories were encouraged to do a paper challenge concerning the relationship between a child (boy) and an alleged grandfather with statistical calculations including results of autosomal STRs and Y-chromosomal STRs. The paper challenge showed large variations in the biostatistical calculations in cases of genetic inconsistencies observed in Y-chromosomal STR typing results.