The Time Has Come to Analyze DNA Profile

Databases

Forensic Bioinformatics (www.bioforensics.com)

Dan E. Krane, Ph.D., Wright State University, Dayton, OH

National DNA Index System (NDIS)

• Established in 1994, controlled by the FBI.

• Explicit expectation that records would be subject to research and quality control.

• No published research derived from NDIS to date.

Benefits of analyses of anonymized records

• Quality assurance/quality control–Potential for improved search strategies

–Potential for refinements of test kits

• Evaluation of population genetic assumptions used for statistical weights

• Use of real-world data in place of simulations

Review of Victoria State Database

Krane/Paoletti analysis: >11,000 profiles each compared to all others across 9 loci:

Shared alleles Observed occurrences 14                40115                2716            117              1618 0

Aussie Bump

# Matching

Alleles

14 15 16 17

# Observed 401 27 1 16

300

100

20

1

Benefits of analyses of anonymized records

• Quality assurance/quality control–Potential for improved search strategies

–Potential for refinements of test kits

• Evaluation of population genetic assumptions used for statistical weights

• Use of real-world data in place of simulations

Benefits of analyses of anonymized records

• Quality assurance/quality control• Evaluation of population genetic assumptions used for statistical weights–Are populations uniform at city/state/region/nation levels?

–Are similar close relatives common?

• Use of real-world data in place of simulations

Popular vote in 2012 by Congressional district. Romney won red districts, Obama won blue districts.

How would you determine the frequency of Obama supporters in Seattle?

Obama

WA 61.2%

?

Popular vote in 2012 by Congressional district. Romney won red districts, Obama won blue districts.

How would you determine the frequency of Obama supporters in Seattle?

Obama

WA 61.2%

Region 60.6%?

Popular vote in 2012 by Congressional district. Romney won red districts, Obama won blue districts.

How would you determine the frequency of Obama supporters in Seattle?

Obama

WA 61.2%

Region 60.6%

U.S. 52.9%

?

Popular vote in 2012 by Congressional district. Romney won red districts, Obama won blue districts.

How would you determine the frequency of Obama supporters in Seattle?

Obama

WA 61.2%

Region 60.6%

U.S. 52.9%

Utah? 24.7%

??

Benefits of analyses of anonymized records

• Quality assurance/quality control• Evaluation of population genetic assumptions used for statistical weights–Are populations uniform at city/state/region/nation levels?

–Are similar close relatives common?

• Use of real-world data in place of simulations

Benefits of analyses of anonymized records

• Quality assurance/quality control• Evaluation of population genetic assumptions used for statistical weights

• Use of real-world data in place of simulations– What fraction of 3-person mixtures look like 2-person mixtures?

– How evenly distributed is DNA profile space?

It is time for disclosure of the NDIS database

• Open access to data is a fundamental tenet of science.

• Anonymized records would be easily copied and pose little (if any) privacy risk.

• Time for DNA disclosure– Science, 2009; 326:1631-1632.