As forensic labs are transitioning to a new method of interpreting DNA mixtures using software-driven probabilistic genotyping methods, attorneys will need to become familiar with the changes that are coming to lab reports and testimony.
The Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office is hosting a free to attend CLE on DNA Mixture Interpretation: Conventional and Software-driven Probabilistic Genotyping Methods. Pending approval by the NC State Bar, this CLE is for 2.5 general hours (one of which will satisfy the technology hour requirement if you attend the last 90 minutes of the CLE) and the NC State Bar will charge attendees $3.50/hour ($8.75 total).
As space is limited: Register for December 13th CLE
When: December 13, 2019. Registration begins at 12:00 and the CLE will begin at 12:30 with a 15 minute break at 1:30. The CLE will end at 3:15.
Where: Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office 4th floor conference room (to the left off the stairs/elevator from the main entrance of 720 E 4th St Charlotte, NC 28202)
Agenda
Section 1: Introduction: Forensic DNA Analysis and Interpretation of Forensic DNA Mixtures (12:30 PM to 1:30 PM: 60 mins)
This section will focus on forensic DNA testing and data analysis. A brief overview of DNA testing theory will be presented, followed by a description of modern DNA forensic testing platforms that are currently in use (STR and Y-STR). The audience will learn more about conventional mixture DNA profile interpretation, recent updates and limitations, and statistical analysis reflecting the weight of DNA evidence. Relevant laboratory standard operating procedures and interpretation protocols will be discussed.
Section 2: Issues with Interpreting Complex DNA Mixtures and the Incorporation of Probabilistic Genotyping (PG) Software Technologies (1:45 PM to 3:15 PM: 90 min)
During this section of the CLE, the attendees will learn more about the theory of mixture DNA interpretation using computer-based probabilistic models, the power and limitations of PG software, and the challenges of confronting PG results in court cases. The presentation will incorporate actual case examples.
Who: Dr. Maher Noureddine, PhD is a molecular geneticist with and extensive background in scientific research and training in human genetics as well as expertise in the area of pharmaceutical industry consulting. Dr. Noureddine earned his B.S. in Biology from Radford University in Virginia, an M.S. in Molecular Biology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University Medical Center (The Center for Human Genetics), where he published many articles on the genetics of Parkinson Disease and other human genetic disorders. His expertise includes specialized training in complex genomics, DNA fingerprinting, Mitochondrial genomics and bioenergetics, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) analysis, and state of the art methodologies in gene structure and function studies. In 2005, Dr. Noureddine was a Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, where he studied the tumor suppressor gene p53 and genomic variations that confer cancer susceptibility in humans. Dr. Noureddine led many consulting projects for the top global pharmaceutical companies in therapeutic areas such as Diabetes, Atrial Fibrillation, Lung Disease, Kidney Disease, Neurodegenerative Disease, Inflammatory Disorders, Hemophilia, and many others. He is President of ForensiGen, LLC, a company that specializes in providing law professionals with sound counsel and expertise in forensic DNA evidence evaluation, interpretation, and evidence retesting. Established in 2011, ForensiGen LLC also provides general consulting services in genetic testing for maternity, paternity, infidelity, and disease testing. Dr. Noureddine has served as an expert on numerous criminal and civil cases involving DNA and serology evidence in NC and other States. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Criminalistics, and a member of the International Society of Forensic Genetics, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the American Society of Human Genetics, and the International Association for Identification.