Cycle of Workshops: The state-of-the-art in forensic genetics
23^rd and 24^th March 2023 | Hybrid Event 

Main languages of the event will be Spanish/Portuguese; some lectures will be in English.
 

Dear colleagues and friends,

In collaboration with the Spanish and Portuguese Speaking Group of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (GHEP-ISFG), we are very pleased to host you, on the 23rd and 24th of March 2023, in our beautiful city of Porto for another “Cycle of Workshops: The state-of-the-art in forensic genetics”.

As new technologies continue to develop and to drive the scientific-technical path of our field we propose a two-day workshop, including a round table discussion, entirely dedicated to the current status of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), DNA mixtures and X-chromosome markers. 
The first day will focus on NSG developments with an up-to-date (re)view on the technical tools, data analyses and interpretation in forensic genetics casework behind NGS, namely markers (STRs, SNPs) and (multiplex) systems, software data analyses and interpretation. We will finish the day with a round table session where you can actively participate with your ideas and questions.

On the second day, we propose two half-day workshops that will address some of the classical but still pertinent issues regarding statistical data interpretation of (i) DNA mixtures, and (ii) X-chromosome markers in kinship and complex pedigrees. Regarding the interpretation of DNA mixtures i), different statistical and computational models used in the weight of the evidence will be discussed, as well as their impact in the quantification of the proof. Regarding ii), the utility of X chromosome markers in kinship and complex pedigree analyses will be addressed, including new approaches for both the populational statistical analyses, and the possibility of inclusion of individuals with numerical aberrations; a topic in which we are deeply interested and for which advancements have been made.  

We truly hope to meet you in Porto and that the workshop will meet your expectations by encountering sessions of knowledge, challenging discussions and a place for networking with experts and other new colleagues. However, for those where distance may be a problem, online sessions of the workshop will be possible.
 

The Scientific and Organizing Committees,
António Amorim, Iva Gomes, Nádia Pinto (Scientific Committee)
Camila Costa, Catarina Xavier, Marisa Faustino, Sofia Antão Sousa, Verónica Gomes (Organizing Committee)

Poster >>

The workshop will be held at i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde.
Rua Alfredo Allen, 208; 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Tel: +351 226 074 900 | Site: http://www.i3s.up.pt/ | E-mail: events@i3s.up.pt
GPS coordinates: 41º 10’ 30.008’’ N, 8º 36’ 12.488’’ W.

Day 1:  23^rd of March 2023
WORKSHOP 1 | NGS ADVANCEMENT TOPICS: MARKERS, DATA INTERPRETATION AND CASEWORK 
APPLICATIONS 
(Full-day workshop)

Lecturers: 
Christopher Phillips | Forensic Genetics Unit, Institute of Forensic Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
María de la Puente | Forensic Genetics Unit, Institute of Forensic Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Ana Mosquera | Forensic Genetics Unit, Institute of Forensic Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Catarina Xavier | Population Genetics and Evolution Group, i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Porto, Portugal

9h00 | Registration

9h30 | Welcome
           António Amorim, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Porto, Portugal

9h35 | NGS ADVANCEMENT TOPICS: MARKERS, DATA INTERPRETATION AND CASEWORK APPLICATIONS

11h00 | Presentation I by QIAGEN 

11h15 | Coffee break (Sponsored by ThermoFisher Scientific)

11h45 | NGS ADVANCEMENT TOPICS: MARKERS, DATA INTERPRETATION AND CASEWORK APPLICATIONS (Continuation)

13h30 | Lunch break 

14h30 | NGS ADVANCEMENT TOPICS: MARKERS, DATA INTERPRETATION AND CASEWORK APPLICATIONS (Continuation)

16h00 | Presentation II by QIAGEN

16h15 | Short Coffee break

16h30 | Round table session: NGS ADVANCEMENT TOPICS
Chair: António Amorim, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Porto, Portugal

 Óscar García | Forensic Science Unit, Forensic Genetics Lab, Basque Country Police-Ertzaintza, Basque Government, Spain
 Christopher Phillips | Forensic Genetics Unit, Institute of Forensic Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
 Catarina Xavier | Population Genetics and Evolution Group, i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Porto, Portugal
 Pedro A. Barrio | National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Department of Madrid, Spain

17h45 | Closing Remarks (Scientific and Organizing committees)

Social Event*
*Only for participants who have registered in the dinner.

19h30 | Pre-dinner Cocktail and Welcome Drink at Barão Fladgate Restaurant, Taylors Cellars (Sponsored by Qiagen)

20h00 | Workshop Dinner at Barão Fladgate Restaurant, Taylors Cellars

Day 2: 24^th of March 2023
WORKSHOP 2 | DNA MIXTURE INTERPRETATION- EuroForMix SOFTWARE PRACTICAL WORKSHOP: INSTALLATION PROCESS, FUNDAMENTALS OF INTERPRETATION, AND PRESENTATION OF SOME PRACTICAL CASES
(Half-day workshop)

Lecturers: 
Lourdes Prieto | Comisaría General de Policía Científica, Madrid; University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Pedro A. Barrio | National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Department of Madrid, Spain

9h30 | Calculation of quantitative LRs with EuroForMix - Basic principles (Part I)

11h00 | Presentation by PROMEGA

11h15 | Coffee break (Sponsored by SPECANALÍTICA)

11h45 | Practical use of the EuroForMix software (Part II)

13h15 | Lunch break (Sponsored by PROMEGA)

WORKSHOP 3 | X-CHROMOSOMAL MARKERS: KINSHIP ANALYSES
(Half-day workshop)

Lecturers: 
Daniel Kling | Department of Forensic Sciences, Forensic Genetics Research Group, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Nádia Pinto | Population Genetics and Evolution Group, i3S - Instituto de Investigação Inovação em Saúde, Porto, Portugal 

14h15 | THEORECTICAL FRAMEWORK AND BEYOND: STATE OF THE ART, GAPS AND NEW ADVANCEMENTS (Part I) 

15h45 | Short Coffee break

16h00 | IMPLEMENTATION, SOFTWARE AND CASEWORK APPLICATION (Part II) 

17h45 | Closing Remarks (Scientific Committee) 

Registration fee for in-person format includes coffee breaks, lunch and workshop material.

In-person format is limited to 50 participants. 

The meeting will also be held online and information regarding the streaming will be sent prior to the meeting. Please note that online participants will not be able to interact directly with speakers.

Please note that the meeting will be held live (Lisbon time – WEST time) and recordings will not be available.

A certificate of attendance will be issued after the meeting for participants that attend the event. The certificate will not be issued in case of a no-show.

Fees:

Dinner (location to be confirmed): 20€ 

Registration form for ONLINE Participation >>

Registration form for IN-PERSON Participation >>

Diamond sponsors

Gold sponsors

Silver sponsors

Others

More information:
Events Management Unit | Rua Alfredo Allen 208 | 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Email: events@i3s.up.pt | Tel: +351 220 408 811