What if the lab DNA report says the mixture is “uninterpretable”?

Short answer

“Uninterpretable” usually means the lab saw a mixture but it wasn’t usable under their reporting rules (too complex, too low-level, or too much DNA overlap). This is a strong reason to submit a Free TrueAllele^® Screening on the same lab data files without retesting the evidence.

What to do next

1. Select the most probative "uninterpretable" items.
2. Request the required electronic DNA data files (.fsa or .hid) from your lab.
3. Submit a Free TrueAllele Screening inquiry.

What to send

• Please do not send biological evidence. The screening uses the lab’s autosomal STR electronic DNA data files (.fsa or .hid).

Please submit:

• For key evidence items, the lab’s electronic data (.fsa or .hid files)
• For reference profiles (victim/elimination/POI), either allele lists or electronic data files
• Allelic ladder files for any electronic data
• Lab reports or other case documents
• Item ID list (which swabs/items the files belong to)
• A case submission form with case specific information and questions (e.g., compare to POI, interpret the too complex mixture, compare items, etc.)

For more information on what to request from the lab, see the Sending Cases for TrueAllele Processing page.

What you receive

• A basic answer about the DNA information in your data, along with the next steps.

Common pitfalls

• Assuming “uninterpretable” is the end of the road.

Ready to Submit?

Tell us about your case. We’ll review it and tell you if we can get more information from the DNA data.

Free Screening

We don’t retest physical evidence items. We interpret the electronic DNA data a lab already generated.