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SWGDAM Mission Statement

The Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods, known as SWGDAM, serves as a forum to discuss, share, and evaluate forensic biology methods, protocols, training, and research to enhance forensic biology services as well as provide recommendations to the FBI Director on quality assurance standards for forensic DNA analysis.

About SWGDAM

SWGDAM is currently comprised of dedicated forensic scientists, from international, federal, state and local forensic DNA laboratories as well as guests representing academia and other Federal agencies. These forensic scientists serve as the DNA technical leaders or Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) Administrators for their laboratories, and are able to offer the perspectives of practitioners in the areas of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA technologies. SWGDAM is also fortunate to have invited guests attend each meeting representing academia, other Federal laboratories and international agencies to provide their specific expertise in areas such as mitochondrial DNA, population genetics, statistics, and YSTRs.

The responsibilities of SWGDAM are: (1) to recommend revisions, as necessary, to the Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories and the Quality Assurance Standards for DNA Databasing Laboratories; (2) to serve as a forum to discuss, share, and evaluate forensic biology methods, protocols, training, and research to enhance forensic biology services; and (3) to recommend and conduct research to develop and/or validate forensic biology methods. We hold semi-annual meetings in January and July and our Committees meet more frequently as issues arise.

Updates

The FBI Has Approved Changes to the QAS Effective July 1, 2025!!! The FBI has approved changes to the Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories and Quality Assurance Standards for DNA Databasing Laboratories. These changes will take effect on July 1, 2025. To assist laboratories in their preparations for the issuance of the new 2025 QAS, links are provided here for pre-issuance copies as well as to comparison tables prepared by SWGDAM during its revision work 2020 Forensic QAS vs 2025 Forensic QAS and 2020 Databasing QAS vs 2025 Databasing QAS.

SWGDAM has aligned the QAS Guidance Document with the new 2025 QAS!!! SWGDAM has completed its revision of the new QAS Guidance Document to align it with the requirements of the new 2025 Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories (Forensic QAS) and Quality Assurance Standards for Databasing Laboratories (Databasing QAS) that will take effect on July 1, 2025. Please use this link for a pre-issuance copy of the new QAS Guidance Document that will also take effect on July 1, 2025, to assist laboratories in their preparations for the issuance of the new 2025 QAS in July 2025.

New Interim Document Available!!! Please use the link provided for a pre-issuance draft of SWGDAM’s new Validation Guidelines for the Use of an Expert System with Forensic Samples which are being made available early to assist laboratories in their planning for potentially using such systems after the issuance of the new Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories (QAS) on July 1, 2025.

New SWGDAM Standing Committee!!! SWGDAM has empaneled a new Investigation Genetic Genealogy Committee to provide relevant information on various investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) topics to include technical, quality assurance, and data privacy considerations to the forensic science and law enforcement communities. The SWGDAM IGG Committee will build on the work of its previous Committee of Correspondence on IGG which included publication of SWGDAM's Overview of Investigative Genetic Genealogy in February 2020.