Forensic Genetics Laboratory

The Forensic Genetics Laboratory is part of the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC) at the University of Bologna. It operates in the fields of personal identification and parentage and kinship testing, providing services both to private individuals and to the Judicial Authority.

The Laboratory performs forensic genetic analyses on biological samples and traces using validated methods in accordance with the standards of national (GeFI) and international forensic genetics communities (ENFSI, ISFG, SWGDAM). The Forensic Genetics Laboratory operates under a quality management system designed to ensure the reliability, reproducibility, and traceability of its analytical activities. It is certified according to UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 and accredited for testing laboratories in accordance with UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 for the testing method “Genetic polymorphisms for human individual identification / DNA typing for human identification (20–600 bp)”. ACCREDIA database – Testing laboratories

The Laboratory also conducts scientific research and supports the teaching and training of University of Bologna undergraduate and PhD students, and medical residents. It actively collaborates with the University of Bologna’s Department of Legal Sciences, which supported the Laboratory’s European accreditation.

Research

• Population studies aimed at developing allele-frequency databases for forensic genetic markers, to be used in statistical calculations.
• Forensic DNA Phenotyping for the prediction of externally visible characteristics, such as eye and hair colour.
• Epigenetic markers for biological age estimation and body fluid identification from forensic evidence
• Interpretation of complex DNA profiles from mixed samples, degraded samples, or low-template DNA.
• Forensic pharmacogenetics: analysis of genetic variants involved in drug metabolism, with medico-legal applications—including sudden death cases—as well as clinical applications.
• Touch DNA and the factors affecting DNA transfer at crime scenes.
• Bayesian networks for DNA activity-level interpretation.
• The judicial evaluation of DNA evidence in criminal proceedings.

The Laboratory received Italian Ministry of University and Research funding through the competitive PRIN 2022 project, “Legal, Ethical and Social Challenges of Forensic DNA Phenotyping in Italy (LetFor).”

It has also received competitive research funding from the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Bologna and the Fondazione del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna for research aimed at combating gender-based violence.

The Laboratory has ongoing collaborations with international research groups, including the Universities of Lausanne and Santiago de Compostela.

Analysis

- DNA profiling from biological traces and reference samples using autosomal DNA STR markers.

- Analysis of Y-chromosome and X-chromosome STR polymorphisms.

- Analysis of polymorphisms in the hypervariable regions (HVI, HVII and HVIII) of mitochondrial DNA.

- Body fluid identification.

- Species identification

- Statistical interpretation of complex DNA profiles using validated software.

Laboratory Equipment

- Automated DNA purification systems;

- Real-time PCR instruments for DNA quantification;

- Thermal cyclers for PCR amplification;

- Capillary electrophoresis genetic analysers for DNA typing.

Teaching

Training is provided to undergraduate and PhD students, medical residents, and prosecutors through internships, degree theses, and research projects in forensic genetics. Educational activities also include collaborations with other areas of forensic medicine, including forensic pathology and forensic toxicology. Training is further provided through Master’s programmes and advanced training courses.