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The Human Forensic Biology Subcommittee focuses on standards and guidelines related to training, method development and validation, data analysis, interpretation, statistical analysis, reporting and testimony for human forensic serological and DNA testing.
ANSI/ASB Standard 018, Standard for Validation of Probabilistic Genotyping Systems, First Edition, 2020 (added May 4, 2021).
ANSI/ASB Standard 020, Standards for Validation Studies of DNA Mixtures, and Development and Verification of a Laboratory's Mixture Interpretation Protocol, First Edition, 2018 (added May 12, 2020).
ANSI/ASB Standard 022, Standard for Forensic DNA Analysis Training Programs, First Edition, 2019 (added September 1, 2020).
ANSI/ASB 023, Standard for Training in Forensic DNA Isolation and Purification Methods, First Edition, 2020 (added August 3, 2021).
ANSI/ASB Standard 040, Standard for Forensic DNA Interpretation and Comparison Protocols, First Edition, 2019 (added May 12, 2020).
See the intent/clarification note from OSAC's Biology SAC on Section 4.3.
ANSI/ASB Standard 077, Standard for the Development and Internal Validation of Forensic Serological Methods, First Edition, 2020 (added December 6, 2022).
ANSI/ASB Standard 110, Standard for Training in Forensic Serological Methods, First Edition, 2020 (added August 3, 2021).
ANSI/ASB Standard 115, Standard for Training in Forensic Short Tandem Repeat Typing Methods using Amplification, DNA Separation, and Allele Detection, First Edition, 2020 (added August 3, 2021).
ANSI/ASB Standard 116, Standard for Training in Forensic DNA Quantification Methods, First Edition, 2020 (added August 3, 2021).
ANSI/ASB Standard 130, Standard for Training in Forensic DNA Amplification Methods for Subsequent Capillary Electrophoresis Sequencing, First Edition, 2021 (added April 5, 2022).
ANSI/ASB Standard 131, Standard for Training in Forensic DNA Sequencing using Capillary Electrophoresis, First Edition, 2021 (added April 5, 2022).
ANSI/ASB Standard 140, Standard for Training in Forensic Human Mitochondrial DNA Analysis, Interpretation, Statistical Evaluation, and Reporting, First Edition, 2021 (added April 5, 2022).
OSAC 2020-N-0007, Best Practice Recommendations for Management and Use of Quality Assurance DNA Elimination Databases in Forensic DNA Laboratories (added April 6, 2021 and sent to ASB for further development and publication).
OSAC 2020-S-0004, Standard for Interpreting, Comparing and Reporting DNA Test Results Associated with Failed Controls and Contamination Events (added June 1, 2021 and sent to ASB for further development and publication).
OSAC 2021-S-0021, Forensic Autosomal STR DNA Statistical Analyses - General Protocol, Protocol Verification, and Case Record Requirements (added January 5, 2023 and sent to ASB for further development and publication).
OSAC 2021-S-0029, Standard for Familial DNA Searching (added January 5, 2023 and sent to ASB for further development and publication).
OSAC 2021-S-0028, Standards for Use of Serological Testing Methods Associated with Forensic Investigations (added November 1, 2022 and sent to ASB for further development and publication).
Published by a Standards Developing Organization (SDO) & Eligible for the OSAC Registry
Sent to an SDO for Further Development & Publication
OSAC 2020-N-0007, Best Practice Recommendations for Management and Use of Quality Assurance DNA Elimination Databases in Forensic DNA Laboratories (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).
OSAC 2020-S-0004, Standard for Interpreting, Comparing and Reporting DNA Test Results Associated with Failed Controls and Contamination Events (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).
OSAC 2021-S-0021, Forensic Autosomal STR DNA Statistical Analyses - General Protocol, Protocol Verification, and Case Record Requirements (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).
OSAC 2021-S-0029, Standard for Familial DNA Searching (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).
OSAC 2021-S-0028, Standards for Use of Serological Testing Methods Associated with Forensic Investigations (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).
REVISION to ANSI/ASB 038, Standard for Internal Validation of Forensic DNA Analysis Methods, Second Edition, 20xx.
REVISION to ANSI/ASB 077, Standard for the Development and Internal Validation of Forensic Serological Methods, Second Edition, 20xx.
Standard for Internal Evaluation of a Laboratory's DNA Mixture Interpretation Protocol.
Standard for Reporting DNA Conclusions.
Under Development
OSAC 2021-S-0003, Standard for Setting Analytical and Stochastic Thresholds for Application to Forensic Casework Using Electrophoretic Systems.
OSAC 2022-S-0024, Best Practice Recommendations for Evaluative Forensic DNA Testimony.
OSAC 2022-S-0040, Standard for the Internal Validation of DNA Extraction Methods.
OSAC 2022-S-0041, Best Practice Recommendations for the Internal Validation of DNA Extraction Methods.
Standard for Training in Forensic Sequencing Methods (Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS)/Next Generation Sequencing (NGS).
Standard for Internal Validation of Genetic Analysis on NGS/MPS Platforms.
Standard for the Internal Validation of Human DNA Quantification.
Best Practice Recommendations for the Internal Validation of Human DNA Quantification.
Standard for the Internal Validation of Automated Platforms.
Best Practice Recommendations for the Internal Validation of Automated Platforms.
Best Practice Workflows for Efficient Sampling and Direct to DNA of Sexual Assault Kits.
Other Work Products
Input Needed: Human Forensic Biology Survey
OSAC's Human Biology 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 (1) identifying the most practitioner-relevant research needs in the forensic biology community, (2) generating new standards or training documents based on practitioner feedback, and (3) understanding and identifying future training needs.
The survey will take approximately 30-60 minutes to complete. Participation requires that you are at least 18 years of age or older. Participation in this survey is fully voluntary and all responses will be anonymous. There is no compensation for completing the survey. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Nadja Schreiber Compo at schreibe [at] fiu.edu.
In late 2021, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) entered into a cooperative agreement with NIST to develop tools, resources, and training to assist with standards implementation efforts. As part of this agreement, AAFS is developing checklists that forensic science service providers can use to provide objective evidence of implementation or compliance with a standard, identify gaps or impediments to implementation, or track progress towards implementation. A checklist for ANSI/ASB Standard 040, Standard for Forensic DNA Interpretation and Comparison Protocols, First Edition, 2019 has been developed and is available on AAFS's Standards Checklists webpage.