Program at a Glance

Monday, 8/29 Tuesday, 8/30 Wednesday, 8/31 Thursday, 9/1 Friday, 9/2
8:30 General Session 1: Genetics/Ancestry General Session 3: Population Genetics General Session 5: Interpretation
9:00 Workshops Workshops
10:00 Break & Poster Session 1 Break & Poster Session 2 Break & Poster Session 3
10:30 Break Break
11:00 Workshops Workshops General Session 1: Genetics/Ancestry General Session 3: Population Genetics General Session 5: Interpretation
12:15 Lunch Lunch Lunch
13:00 Lunch Lunch
14:00 Workshops Workshops General Session 2: Statistics/Kinship General Session 4: Legal Issues General Session 6: Genetic Genealogy
15:30 Break Break Break Break Break
16:00 Workshops Workshops General Session 2: Statistics/Kinship Special Session: O.J. Simpson Trial – A Retrospective General Session 6: Genetic Genealogy & Closing Ceremony
17:30 Break
18:00 Break General Assembly
18:15 Working Group Meeting
18:30 Opening Ceremony
19:30 Gala Dinner
20:00 Welcome Reception
22:00
23:00
Download Program at a Glance

Scientific Program

Download Scientific Program

Abstracts

Download Abstract Book

Posters

Download List of Posters

Program Agenda

1:00 PM     Company Lunch Symposium by NimaGen in Meeting room University of DC & Catholic University, Meeting Level 1

6:30 PM     Opening Ceremony, Marriott Marquis, Level M2, Marquis Ballroom/Salons 1-10

Downloads | Opening Talk by John Butler, PhD + List of FSI Genetics Articles

8:00 PM    Welcome Reception, Marriott Marquis, Second Level Foyer/Mezzanine

Location: Marquis Ballroom/Salons 1-10

Session 1

Chairs:  Walther Parson and Christian Westring

8:30 AM
Scientific Prize Lecture | Forty Years of Forensic Ancestry Analysis
Chris Phillips, Spain
9:30 AM
Comparative Evaluation of the MAPlex, VISAGE Basic Tool, and Precision ID Ancestry Panels for Biogeographical Ancestry Prediction
Peter Rešutík, Switzerland
9:45 AM
Introducing the FORCE Panel: An All-In-One SNP Marker Set for Forensic Applications
Charla Marshall, USA
10:00 AM
Coffee Break (Liberty and Independence Foyer) & Poster Session (Liberty Ballroom/Salons I-P)
11:00 AM
The ForAPP, a Forensic Ancestry Prediction Pipeline for the Interpretation of Ancestry Informative Markers
Kristiaan J. van der Gaag, Netherlands
11:12 AM
Insights Gained from Collaborative Exercises Evaluating the VISAGE Age Estimation Tools
Antonia Heidegger, Austria
11:24 AM
Investigation of the Impact of Biogeographic Ancestry on DNA Methylation-based Age Predictions Comparing Two Middle East and Central European Populations
Jan Fleckhaus, Germany
11:36 AM
A Novel Rotationally-Driven Microfluidic Approach for Forensic Epigenetic Sample
Preparation for Human Chronological Age Determination
Rachelle Turiello, USA
11:48 AM
Postmortem Age Prediction Based on DNA Methylation: Special Circumstances Require Exceptional Tissues
Jana Naue, Germany
12:00 AM
Age Prediction of Skin Samples Using Array-Based Epigenetic Clock and Targeted Bisulfite Sequencing of Several Age-Associated Markers
Jeong Min Lee, Korea
12:15 PM
Lunch (2nd Floor/Mezzanine)
12:30 PM
Company Lunch Symposium by Thermo Fisher Scientific (Salons 7-10)

Session 2

Chairs: Peter Schneider and Toni Diegoli

2:00 PM
Scientific Prize Lecture
What Does it Mean to be Related?
Thore Egeland, Norway
3:00 PM
Thresholds for Kinship Analysis Based on the Reference Family Structure and Quality of the Genetic Profiles for the Purpose of Mass Grave Human Identification
Maria Wróbel, Poland
3:15 PM
Streamlining the Decision-Making Process for International DNA Kinship Matching in Missing Person Investigations
François-Xavier Laurent, France
3:30 PM
Coffee Break (Liberty and Independence Foyer) & Poster Session (Liberty Ballroom/Salons I-P)
4:00 PM
Limitations of Simulated Data for Evaluating Kinship Scenarios
Lucinda Davenport, UK
4:12 PM
How Often Have X- and Autosomal-STRs Mutations Equivocal Parental Origin Been Assigned?
Nádia Pinto, Portugal
4:24 PM
Resolving Cases with Multiple Relationships – A Comparative Study
Eric M. O’Neill, USA
4:36 PM
How to Assign Probability to the Presence of a Specific Body Fluid?
Lydie Samie, Switzerland
4:48 PM
The Development of Epigenetic Markers for Body Fluid and Phenotyping Analysis
Bruce McCord, USA
5:00 PM
Forensics in the Service of History – Founding of the German Genetic Database of Fallen Soldiers
Marta Diepenbroek, Germany
5:12 PM
Evaluating the Use of Ancient DNA Laboratory Protocols in the Downstream DNA Identification of Burned Forensic Remains
Cody Parker, USA
5:24 PM
ISFG DNA Commission Recommendations on STR Sequence Nomenclature
Katherine B. Gettings, USA
5:36 PM
Optimization of Library Preparation for Ultrasensitive MPS Analysis of STR Markers
Johannes Hedman, Sweden
5:48 PM
Leveraging Massively Parallel Sequencing Data of Autosomal STRs for Ancestry Estimation
Laurence Devesse, UK
6:00 PM
Working Groups Meetings
Location: Marquis Ballroom/Salons 1-10

Session 3

Chairs: Leonor Gusmão and Niels Morling

8:30 AM
Keynote Lecture
Population Genetics
Noah Rosenberg, USA
9:30 AM
A Multipurpose Panel of Microhaplotypes for Casework
Kenneth K. Kidd, USA
9:45 AM
Exploring Regional Aspects of Facial Variation in a European Population
Franziska Wilke, USA
10:00 AM
Coffee Break (Liberty and Independence Foyer) & Poster Session (Liberty Ballroom/Salons I-P)
11:00 AM
Extending the Discrete Laplace Method for Y-STR Haplotype Frequency Estimation: Multi-Copy Loci, Partial Repeats, and Null Alleles
Maarten Kruijver, New Zealand
11:12 AM
Updates from YHRD: New Search Paradigms and Updated Submission Requirements
Sascha Willuweit, Germany
11:24 AM
YMrCA: Improving Y-Chromosomal Ancestor Time Estimation for DNA Kinship Research
Sofie Claerhout, Belgium
11:36 AM
SYMT: Development of a Multiplex Assay for the Detection of Autosomal and Y-STRs, Assessment of the Degradation State of Mitochondrial DNA, and Presence of Mitochondrial Heteroplasmies
Lisa Dierig, Germany
11:48 AM
Which is True? Bona Fide Evaluation of Various Approaches in Analysis of Whole Mitochondrial Genome Sequences in Low-Template, Degraded Material Based on Familial Samples
Maria Szargut, Poland
12:00 PM
Pitfalls, Challenges, and Caveats in Whole Mitochondrial Genome Sequencing from Hair Shafts by MPS: Where, When, and How to Address Them
Chiara Turchi, Italy
12:15 PM
Lunch (2nd Floor/Mezzanine)
12:30 PM
Company Lunch Symposium by Promega Corporation in Marquis Salons 7 -10

Session 4

Chairs: John Butler and Charlotte Word

2:00 PM
Keynote Lecture
Close Encounters of Various Kinds: Developments in Forensic DNA Science and the Law
David Kaye, USA
3:00 PM
Ethics as Lived Practice: Anticipatory Capacity and Ethical Decision-Making in Forensic Genetics
Carole McCartney, UK
3:15 PM
Protecting Public Safety and Privacy Through Best Practices and Standards for Forensic Genetic Genealogy
Claire L. Glynn, USA
3:30 PM
Coffee Break (Liberty and Independence Foyer) & Poster Session (Liberty Ballroom/Salons I-P)
4:00 PM
Special Session: OJ Simpson Trial Panel
Robin Cotton, Bruce Weir, Rockne Harmon, Christopher Plourd
6:00 PM
General Assembly

Marquis Ballroom/Salons 1-10

Session 5

Chairs:  Marielle Vennemann and Mechthild Prinz

8:30
Keynote Lecture
DNA Transfer: Shall We Answer the Question?
Tacha Hicks, Switzerland
9:30
Transfer, Persistence, and Recovery of DNA Quantity and mRNA Vaginal Mucosa Markers Comparing Intimate Contact with Social Contact: Activity Level Reporting using a Combined Bayesian Network
Helen Johannessen, Norway
9:45 AM
Statistical Analysis Tools of Mixture DNA Samples: When the Same Software Provides Different Results
Camila Ferreira da Costa, Portugal
10:00 AM
Coffee Break (Liberty and Independence Foyer) & Poster Session (Liberty Ballroom/Salons I-P)
11:00 AM
Using Previous DNA Casework Data to Aid Decision Making in the Process of DNA Profile Interpretation
Corina Benschop, Netherlands
11:12 AM
Assigning the Number of Contributors for Autosomal STR Profiles Using Different NOC Methods
Sarah Riman, USA
11:24 AM
The Development of a Probabilistic Genotyping Software for the Continuous Interpretation of NGS aSTR Mixtures
Meng-Han Lin, New Zealand
11:36 AM
MPSproto: A Tool to Interpret MPS-STR Mixtures with Artefacts
Øyvind Bleka, Norway
11:48 AM
Evaluating Probabilistic Genotyping for Low-Pass DNA Sequencing
Sammed Mandape, USA
12:00 PM
DNA Transfer Between Exhibits, Evidence Bags, and Workspaces
Claire Mercer, Australia
12:15 PM
Lunch (2nd Floor/Mezzanine)
12:30 PM
Company Lunch Symposium by QIAGEN in Marquis Salons 7 -10

Session 6

Chairs: Heather McKiernan and Tom Callaghan

2:00 PM
Keynote Lecture
Investigative Genetic Genealogy: The Past, Present, and Future
Debbie Kennett, UK
3:00 PM
SNP Genotype Imputation in Forensics – A Performance Study
Andreas Tillmar, Sweden
3:15 PM
Analysis of the Genealogy Process in Forensic Genetic Genealogy
Lawrence Wein, USA
3:30 PM
Coffee Break (Liberty and Independence Foyer) 
4:00 PM
Whole Genome Sequencing Compared to Hybridization Capture Enrichment for the Development of SNP Profiles from Historical Samples for GEDmatch Searching
Jacqueline Tyler Thomas, USA
4:12 PM
Improving Forensic SNP Analysis with Unique Molecular Indices
Adam Staadig, Sweden
4:24 PM
Nanopore Sequencing of Forensically Relevant Targets
Olivier Tytgat, Belgium
4:36 PM
Novel Single Cell Transcriptome and Genome Sequencing Approach for Genetically Separating, Characterizing, and Identifying Individuals from Biological Mixtures
Lucie Kulhankova, Netherlands
4:48 PM
Targeted S5 RNA Sequencing Assay for the Identification and Direct Association of Common Body Fluids with DNA Donors in Mixtures
Jack Ballantyne, USA
5:00 PM
An NGS-based 120plex Microhap Panel for Forensic DNA Mixtures Analysis (VIDEO)
Mengyu Tan, China
5:12 PM
Novel Cellular Signatures for Determining Time Since Deposition for Trace DNA Evidence
Sarah Ingram, USA
5:24 PM
K-mer-Based Approach for Forensic Applications of Microbiomics: Predicting the Origin of the Sample
Michał B. Kowalski, Poland
5:36 PM
Development of a Nanoplate-Based Digital PCR assay for Species Identification with Mixture Deconvolution
Mirna Ghemrawi, USA
5:48 PM
Closing Ceremony
7:30 PM
Gala Dinner (Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center)