TrueAllele
Definition
A continuous probabilistic genotyping platform developed by Cybergenetics (Pittsburgh, PA). Used primarily in US criminal courts; available as a cloud-based service.
- Vendor
- Cybergenetics, Pittsburgh, PA
- Method type
- Continuous probabilistic genotyping
- Primary use
- US criminal courts
- Delivery model
- Cloud-based service
Common questions
How does TrueAllele differ from earlier binary mixture interpretation methods?+
It models the full electropherogram data, including peak heights, rather than reducing a profile to a simple present or absent call per allele. This continuous approach can extract information from complex or low-template mixtures that binary methods would exclude.
Has TrueAllele's methodology faced legal challenge in court?+
Yes, defence counsel in several US cases have sought access to the underlying source code and validation data to test the software's reliability, and courts have varied in how much proprietary detail they require the vendor to disclose.
Related terms
- Continuous Model
- A probabilistic genotyping approach that treats peak heights as a continuous variable and models their probability under different contributor genotype combinations, as...
- EuroForMix
- An open-source continuous probabilistic genotyping platform developed by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Distributed as an R package and used by...
- LRmix Studio
- A semi-continuous probabilistic genotyping platform developed at Leiden University Medical Center. One of the first PG tools adopted by European forensic laboratories;...
- MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo)
- A computational sampling method used by STRmix and TrueAllele to integrate the likelihood function over all possible contributor genotype combinations. Requires many...
- Mixture
- A DNA sample containing contributions from two or more individuals. Identified by the presence of more than two alleles at one or...
- Mixture Ratio
- The proportional representation of each contributor's DNA in the mixture, estimated from the relative peak heights of non-overlapping alleles across multiple loci.
- Number of Contributors (NoC)
- The estimated minimum number of individuals whose DNA is present in a mixture, derived from the maximum allele count at any single...
- Probabilistic Genotyping (PG)
- A computational approach to mixture interpretation that models the entire electropherogram as a probabilistic output of a specified number of contributors, computing...
- Stochastic Threshold (ST)
- A validated minimum peak height below which allele calls are considered uncertain due to stochastic amplification effects. Profiles with peaks between the...
- STRmix
- A continuous probabilistic genotyping platform developed by ESR (New Zealand) and the Australian Federal Police. The most widely used PG platform in...