Your Input Needed: Assessing Research Needs and Standards in the Forensic Human Biology Community

OSAC’s Human Forensic Biology Subcommittee’s Research Task Group is seeking input regarding current research needs, standards and training for the forensic biology community. This survey will aid the OSAC Human Biology Task Group in:

• Identifying the most practitioner-relevant research needs in the forensic biology community
• Generating new standards or training documents based on practitioner feedback
• Understanding and identifying future training needs

For more information and to access the survey, visit https://go.fiu.edu/OSACSurvey.

Four New DNA Standards Added to the OSAC Registry

OSAC recently added the following three OSAC Proposed and one published DNA standards to the Registry:

• ANSI/ASB Standard 077, Standard for the Developmental and Internal Validation of Forensic Serological Methods, First Edition, 2020. Added to the OSAC Registry on December 6, 2022, this Academy Standards Board published standard provides requirements for developmental and internal validations of forensic serological methods to evaluate body fluids, stains, or residues related to forensic investigations.

• OSAC 2021-S-0021, Forensic Autosomal STR DNA Statistical Analyses – General Protocol, Protocol Verification, and Case Record Requirements. Added to the OSAC Registry on January 5, 2023, this OSAC proposed standard provides general requirements for the laboratory protocol for performing statistical analyses, verification, and consistency of use of the protocol, and documentation in the case record of all pertinent information regarding the statistical calculations. This standard applies directly to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci; many of the general requirements may also apply to other types of DNA testing and analysis.

• OSAC 2021-S-0029, Standard for Familial DNA Searching. Added to the OSAC Registry on January 5, 2023, this OSAC proposed standard requires laboratories that perform familial DNA searches have a written policy specifying criteria for: a) accepting a familial DNA search request; b) administrative structure and responsibilities; c) the search process; d) reporting results; and e) safeguarding individual privacy and confidentiality of the results. This standard also defines validation requirements.

The OSAC Registry now contains 133 forensic science standards! Has your organization implemented any of the DNA or other discipline-specific standards on the OSAC Registry? Complete the OSAC Registry Implementation Declaration Form (found on the Registry Implementation webpage) and submit it to mark.stolorow@nist.gov to let us know!

To learn about OSAC’s activities or apply for membership, visit www.nist.gov/osac or contact forensics@nist.gov.