DNA Analysis

Kijeong Kim; Charles H Brenner; Victor H Mair; Kwang-Ho Lee; Jae-Hyun Kim; Eregzen Gelegdorj; Natsag Batbold; Yi-Chung Song; Hyeung-Won Yun; Eun-Jeong Chang; Keun-Cheol Kim; Ae-Ja Park; Dong-Sub Sohn; Inja Lim; Dae-Jin Kim; Yoon-Hee Chung; Sung-Su Kim; Won-Bok Lee; Kyung-Yong Kim (published on-line January 2010 DOI 10.1002/ajpa.21242) A Western Eurasian male is found in 2000-year-old Elite Xiongnu Cemetery in Northeast Mongolia
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
Science News article January 29, 2010: Skeleton of Western man found in ancient Mongolian tomb

Brenner CH (2010) Fundamental problem of forensic mathematics – The evidential value of a rare haplotype
Forensic Sci. Int. Genet. doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2009.10.013
abstract and comments on this paper

Brenner CH (2007 letter) Counterexample to a conjecture of Krawczak For Sci International: Genetics, 2 2008 p75

Brenner CH (2006July15) Forensic Genetics: Mathematics In: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester http://www.els.net/ [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0005451] Standard Article
draft version for download

Basic concepts of using DNA for evidence including

• Mathematical model of decision making – Likelihood ratios & hypotheses; prior and posterior odds/probabilities; thresholds, standards for proof
• DNA profile probabilities – product rule, verbal explanation
• Fallacies – prosecutor's, defense, laboratory error
• Limitations – relatives, population substructure, linkage

Gill P, Brenner CH, Buckleton JS, et al. (2006July13) DNA commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics: Recommendations on the interpretation of mixtures For Sci International,160 (2-3), 90-101
Download from ISFG site

Brenner CH, Bieber FR, Lazer D (2006June2) Finding Criminals Through DNA of Their Relatives Science
Supporting on-line materials detail the simulations & results.

If a crime stain isn't matched in the offender database, there's still a good chance that its relative is there. The relative can likely be found by "kinship" searching if you know how to search. If the search results in a list of even dozens of potential relatives, sort them out with Y-haplotyping. This approach could significantly increase the effective reach of offender database. It could also raise some hackles and some eyebrows.

Brenner CH (Mar 2006) Some mathematical problems in the DNA identification of victims in the 2004 tsunami and similar mass fatalities For Sci International,157, 172-180
Abstract and links

• Related victims missing, one found
• Related victims missing, several found
• Distinguishing race using DNA
  Forensic STR markers are powerful for racial estimation
• Which races to calculate in disaster identifcation?
• Combining DNA and other identification information

Biescker LG, et al (2005Nov18) DNA Identifications After the 9/11 Trade Center Attack Science 310, 1122-1123

Brenner CH, Inman K (Jan 2004) Commentary on: Thompson WC, Taroni F, Aitken CGG, How the Probability of a False Positive Affects the Value of DNA Evidence J For Sci

Brenner CH (2004) Multiple mutations, covert mutations and false exclusions in paternity casework Progress in Forensic Genetics 10, 112-114. Eds. Doutremépuich, Morling, Elsevier Science B.V.

Brenner CH, Weir BS (May 2003) Issues and strategies in the identification of World Trade Center victims Theor Pop Bio 63 (2003)173-178

Brenner CH (1992-2009) DNA•VIEW User's Manual

Buard J, Brenner CH, Jeffreys AJ (April 2002) Evolutionary fate of an unstable human minisatellite deduced from sperm mutation spectra of individual alleles Am J Hum Genet 70:1038-1043
Online appendix

Brenner CH (2001) Family secrets revealed, Progress in Forensic Genetics 9, Eds B Brinkmann et al.

Gill P, Brenner C, Brinkmann B, Budowle B, Carracedo A, Jobling MA, de Knijff P, Kayser M, Krawczak M, Mayr WR, Morling N, Olaisen B, Pascali V, Prinz M, Roewer L, Schneider PM, Sajantila A, Tyler-Smith C (2001) technical note: DNA Commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics: recommendations on forensic analysis using Y-chromosome STRs Int J Leg Med 114:(6)305-309 abstract

Tamaki K, Brenner CH, Jeffreys AJ (2000) Distinguishing minisatellite mutation from non-paternity by MVR-PCR, Forensic Science International 113:55-62 (as the Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Advances in Legal Medicine (ISALM))

Brenner CH (1999) Kinship Analysis by DNA When There Are Many Possibilities, Progress in Forensic Genetics 8, Eds G Sensabaugh et al.

Yoshida K, Kasai K, Sato H, Brenner CH, Sensabaugh GF (1998) Genetic Variation at 6 STR Loci in the Japanese Population, Progress in Forensic Genetics 7, Eds. B Olaisen, B Brinkmann, PJ Lincoln, Elsevier Science B.V. 360-362

Brenner CH (1998) Difficulties in estimating ethnic affiliation, Am J Hum Genet 62:1558-1560
     disputing unbelievable claims published in the AJHG

Brenner CH (1998) Mixed Stain Calculator, Progress in Forensic Haemogenetics 7, Ed B Olaisen, B Brinkmann, PJ Lincoln. Elsevier Science B.V. 556-558
     software tool

Brenner CH (1997) Probable Race of a Stain Donor, Proceedings from the Seventh Human Identification Symposium, Promega Corp 48-52
    Can you tell the race of a DNA sample? Yes.

• 4-d graphs of racial likelihoods Jan98

Brenner CH (1997) Proof of a mixed stain formula of Weir, (Appendix) J For Sci 42(2)221-222

Brenner CH, Fimmers R, Baur MP (1996) Likelihood Ratios for Mixed Stains When the Number of Donors Cannot be Agreed, Int J Legal Med 109(4):218-219

Brenner CH (1996) Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in RFLP Databases, Advances in Forensic Haemogenetics 6, Ed A Carracedo, B Brinkmann, W Bär, Springer Verlag 96-98

Brenner CH (1994) Clouding the Simpson DNA Issue, (Op-Ed) Los Angeles Times, September 4

Brenner CH (1994) Evaluation of the Product Rule, Advances in Forensic Haemogenetics 5, Ed W. Bär, A. Fiori and U. Rossi, Springer Verlag 453-455

Brenner CH, Morris JW (1990) Paternity Index Calculations in Single Locus Hypervariable DNA Probes: Validation and Other Studies Proceedings for The International Symposium on Human Identification 1989, Promega Corporation 21-53

has a lot of meat, including useful identities and approximations for typical paternity index and exclusion, validation methods, Hardy-Weinberg and linkage independence analysis years ahead of its time, behavior of gel migration. download in Word Perfect format

Paternity Attribution

Gjertson DW, Brenner CH, Baur MP, Carracedo A, Guidet F, Luque JA, Lessig R, Mayr WR, Pascali VL, Prinz M, Schneider PM, Morling N (2007) ISFG: Recommendations on Biostatistics in Paternity Testing, Review Article for Forensic Science International: Genetics 1(3)223-231

Abstract: The Paternity Commission of the International Society for Forensic Gentics has formultated recommendations on the use of biostatistics in the evaluation of results of genetic analyses in paternity cases and other situations with disputed genetic (family) relations.

Sawaguchi T, Brenner CH, Sawaguchi A (1998) Application of DNA•VIEW & PATER to a kinship paternity case Rom J Leg Med 6(1)66-70

Brenner CH (1997) Symbolic Kinship Program, Genetics 145:535-542

Brenner CH (1993) A Note on Motherless Paternity Case Computation, Transfusion 33:51-54
    The situation is simple, but popularly misunderstood

Morris JW, Garber RA, D'Autremont J, Brenner CH (1988) The Avuncular Index and the Incest Index, Advances in Forensic Haemogenetics 2, Springer-Verlag, 607-611

Brenner CH (1985) Evidence, Probability, and Paternity, (letter) Am J Hum Genet 826-827

Brenner CH (1983) Calculation of paternity index, in Inclusion Probabilities in Paternity Testing 632-638, Amer. Assoc. of Blood Banks, Arlington