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                            Funding & Awards
 Enhancing the Capacity, Capabilities, and Validity of U.S. Forensic Laboratories
Note:
              This awardee has received supplemental funding. This award detail page includes information about both the original award and supplemental awards.
Award Information
Awardee
              Defense Forensic Science Center
Award #
              2013-DNR-5042
Funding Category
              Non-Competitive

Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2013
Total funding (to date)
              $1,461,500
Original Solicitation
              NIJ Non-solicited Applications, Fiscal Year 2013
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2013, $344,000)
This agreement allows the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Defense Forensic Science Center (DFSC) to leverage federal resources and conduct advanced research, testing and evaluation efforts that provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet challenges of crime and criminal justice. This collaborative project supports NIJ's Forensic Science Research and Development program by utilizing the unique laboratory and personnel assets of DFSC, which provides forensic laboratory services to Department of Defense military criminal investigative organizations and other DoD customers. DFSC is a full service forensic laboratory, providing state-of-the-art forensic examinations in drug chemistry, trace evidence, serology/DNA, latent prints, forensic documents, digital evidence and firearms & toolmarks. DFSC provides forensic services to other federal departments and agencies, when appropriate. Through its Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) program, DFSC also coordinates the execution of research projects to develop and enhance forensic capabilities. This project will further the NIJ mission to enhance the capacity, capability and validity of U.S. forensic laboratories by: 1) advancing DNA mixture interpretation for forensic casework; 2) improving the analysis and interpretation of emerging drugs; and 3) advancing forensics through effective scientific collaborations.

In pursuit of these goals, the specific project tasks include:

DNA mixture deconvolution training
	Assessment of DNA mixture interpretation in the forensic community
	Enhanced sharing of emerging drug spectral data through online databases
	Evaluation of solid-state gas chromatography-infrared spectrometer (GC-IR)
	• Other projects of common interest
Supplemental Award 1 (Fiscal Year 2013, $625,000)
This agreement allows the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Defense Forensic Science Center (DFSC) to leverage federal resources and conduct advanced research, testing and evaluation efforts that provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet challenges of crime and criminal justice. This collaborative project supports NIJ's Forensic Science Research and Development program by utilizing the unique laboratory and personnel assets of DFSC, which provides forensic laboratory services to Department of Defense military criminal investigative organizations and other DoD customers. DFSC is a full service forensic laboratory, providing state-of-the-art forensic examinations in drug chemistry, trace evidence, serology/DNA, latent prints, forensic documents, digital evidence and firearms & toolmarks. DFSC provides forensic services to other federal departments and agencies, when appropriate. Through its Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) program, DFSC also coordinates the execution of research projects to develop and enhance forensic capabilities. This project will further the NIJ mission to enhance the capacity, capability and validity of U.S. forensic laboratories by: 1) advancing DNA mixture interpretation for forensic casework; 2) improving the analysis and interpretation of emerging drugs; and 3) advancing forensics through effective scientific collaborations.

In pursuit of these goals, the specific project tasks include:

DNA mixture deconvolution training
	Assessment of DNA mixture interpretation in the forensic community
	Enhanced sharing of emerging drug spectral data through online databases
	Evaluation of solid-state gas chromatography-infrared spectrometer (GC-IR)
	• Other projects of common interest
    Supplemental Award 2 (Fiscal Year 2013, $492,500)
This agreement allows the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Defense Forensic Science Center (DFSC) to leverage federal resources and conduct advanced research, testing and evaluation efforts that provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet challenges of crime and criminal justice. This collaborative project supports NIJ's Forensic Science Research and Development program by utilizing the unique laboratory and personnel assets of DFSC, which provides forensic laboratory services to Department of Defense military criminal investigative organizations and other DoD customers. DFSC is a full service forensic laboratory, providing state-of-the-art forensic examinations in drug chemistry, trace evidence, serology/DNA, latent prints, forensic documents, digital evidence and firearms & toolmarks. DFSC provides forensic services to other federal departments and agencies, when appropriate. Through its Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) program, DFSC also coordinates the execution of research projects to develop and enhance forensic capabilities. This project will further the NIJ mission to enhance the capacity, capability and validity of U.S. forensic laboratories by: 1) advancing DNA mixture interpretation for forensic casework; 2) improving the analysis and interpretation of emerging drugs; and 3) advancing forensics through effective scientific collaborations.

			In pursuit of these goals, the specific project tasks include:

			DNA mixture deconvolution training
				Assessment of DNA mixture interpretation in the forensic community
				Enhanced sharing of emerging drug spectral data through online databases
				Evaluation of solid-state gas chromatography-infrared spectrometer (GC-IR)
				Other projects of common interest


  
Grant-Funded Publications
        
                      When DNA Samples Are Complicated: Calculating Variation in Mixed Samples Interpretation
                  Isomer Differentiation of Novel Psychoactive Substances Using Gas Chromatography Solid Phase Infrared Spectroscopy (GC/IR)
                  Evaluation of a Rapid Processing Protocol for Sexual Assault Samples using Rapid DNA Instrumentation: Final Report
                  DNA Mixture Study: Novel Metrics to Quantify the Intra- and Inter-Laboratory Variability in Forensic DNA Mixture Interpretation

  
Date Created: December 15, 2020
    
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                  Quantifying the accuracy of low quality DNA sample analysis from genotyping to genealogical searching and integration as a bioinformatic pipeline
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