We are funded by the National Institute of Justice to improve forensic DNA testing methods. Our efforts are focused in 5 major areas with particular interest in human Y chromosome markers and improving capabilities for multiplex DNA analysis:

Five major research areas :
•Develop new DNA assays that are more rapid and efficient than those currently used particularly with degraded specimens.
•Evaluate new genetic loci and develop technologies to aid forensic DNA typing.
•Develop DNA standard reference materials so that laboratories around the world may reliably compare their results.
•Conduct interlaboratory studies to improve understanding of factors impacting quality of results in DNA testing.
•Create standard information and training resources such as STRBase: http://www.cstl.nist.gov/biotech/strbase.

Y chromosome short tandem repeat (STR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers have a number of applications in human identity testing including typing the perpetrator of sexual assault cases without differential extraction and tracing paternal lineages for missing persons investigations. Commercial kits have recently become available to aid analysis of Y-STR markers by the forensic DNA typing community. These robust multiplex assays permit collection of information from many sites along the Y chromosome using only a very small amount of male DNA and even in the presence of high amounts of female DNA. We have developed several new Y-STR multiplexes as well as evaluated various markers in the same reference set of DNA samples. A NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM 2395) has been developed to help insure reliable measuring of Y chromosome DNA typing results around the world. We are also developing resources and assays to aid working with challenging DNA samples, such as mixtures and degraded DNA (e.g., miniSTRs).

Some Recent Publications (full team publication list):

Schoske, R., Vallone, P.M., Kline, M.C., Redman, J.W., Butler, J.M. (2004) High-throughput Y-STR typing of U.S. populations with 27 regions of the Y chromosome using two multiplex PCR assays, Forensic Sci. Int. 139: 107-121.

Vallone, P.M., Just, R.S., Coble, M.D., Butler , J.M., Parsons, T.J. (2004) A multiplex allele-specific primer extension assay for forensically informative SNPs distributed throughout the mitochondrial genome. Int. J. Legal Med., 118: 147-157.

Kline, M.C., Duewer, D.L., Redman, J.W., Butler , J.M. (2003) NIST mixed stain study 3: DNA quantitation accuracy and its influence on short tandem repeat multiplex signal intensity. Anal. Chem. 75: 2463-2469.

Butler , J.M., Shen, Y., McCord, B.R. (2003) The development of reduced size STR amplicons as tools for analysis of degraded DNA. J. Forensic Sci 48(5) 1054-1064.

Personnel: