The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has extended the deadline for public comments on NIST Internal Report 8351-DRAFT (DNA Mixture Interpretation: A Scientific Foundation Review). The new deadline is Aug. 23, 2021.
This report, currently published in draft form, reviews the methods that forensic laboratories use to interpret evidence containing a mixture of DNA from two or more people. To read more about the report or to submit comments, visit https://www.nist.gov/dna-mixture-interpretation-nist-scientific-foundation-review.
In case you missed it, NIST hosted the webinar, DNA Mixtures: A NIST Scientific Foundation Review. The webinar reviewed the contents of and findings in the NISTIR 8351-draft report, discussed feedback received up to that point in the public comment period, and provided an opportunity for interested parties and stakeholders to ask additional questions or seek clarification on the draft report. The recording of the webinar can be viewed at https://www.nist.gov/news-events/events/2021/07/webinar-dna-mixtures-nist-scientific-foundation-review.
DNA Mixtures: A Forensic Science Explainer
NIST has also published a webpage explaining DNA mixtures and why are they are sometimes difficult to interpret. https://www.nist.gov/feature-stories/dna-mixtures-forensic-science-explainer
