What should I ask my lab for so you can perform a TrueAllele^® screening for my homicide case?

Short answer

Ask your lab for the electronic DNA data files (.fsa/.hid), along with lab reports and sample identifiers. Free TrueAllele Screening is done using the electronic data. No retesting is required.

What to do next

1. List the items you want screened.
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

• Requesting only data PDFs or screenshots. You need the actual electronic DNA data files.
• Sending too many items - start with the most probative first.

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.