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Internal quality control in forensic DNA analysis

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Abstract

The trail from initial evidence examination to a DNA profile reported to match a suspect is long and complex. The different nature and great variability in the biological and DNA evidence to be recovered and analyzed, add to this complexity. Internal quality controls play an important role in maintaining a high-quality performance in daily forensic biology and DNA profiling practice. In many cases are empirical rather than analytical approaches adopted. Obviously, despite the fact of being necessary, the internal quality controls performed still need to be kept rational at a limited, yet acceptable level. Quality control from a forensic biology and DNA profiling horizon has a wider context and does not only concern obvious fit-for-purpose verifications of analytical processes, chemicals, or reagents in daily routine practice. It also includes control on computerized laboratory management and expert systems, laboratory environmental DNA monitoring, and the use of elimination DNA databases. In addition, a structured recording and handling of non-conformances and “near failures” is essential. Proper management of the non-conformances supports continuous quality improvements by learning from the errors occurring in daily practice. High transparency of non-conformances is important not only for internal improvements, but also for the criminal justice system as well as to maintain public confidence and trust. Together the quality controls used aim at maintaining evidence and DNA sample integrity and to accomplish correct results and interpretations by verifying that methods used data transfers and interpretations made are correct and performed according to validated and accredited conditions.

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Acknowledgments

Many people have been involved in different parts, supporting the author with necessary data or giving valuable comments to all or to specific parts of the manuscript. Anders Nordgaard, Johannes Hedman, Carina Ansell, Lina Norén, Charlotte Dufva, Malin Sanga, Mikael Weddfeldt, Cathrine Tivås-Ekman (all SKL), and Bertil Magnusson (SP, Sweden) are all acknowledged for their contributions.

Conflict of interest

The author reports no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, SKL, The Swedish National Laboratory of Forensic Science, SE-581 94, Linköping, Sweden

    Ricky Ansell

  2. Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden

    Ricky Ansell

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  1. Ricky Ansell
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Correspondence to Ricky Ansell.

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Ansell, R. Internal quality control in forensic DNA analysis. Accred Qual Assur 18, 279–289 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-013-0968-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-013-0968-9

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