forensic expertise you need, when you need it

The forensic science sector is expanding worldwide, with rising caseloads driven by technical innovation and growing awareness of the value of forensic science in general.

Wyndham Forensic Group is strategically positioned to provide a comprehensive suite of forensic testing services that can be customized to suit the needs and timelines of each client.

Our Expertise

We provide complete forensic biology and DNA testing at our ISO-accredited facility and, when a case requires additional resources, co-ordinate testing and delivery by other accredited laboratories. Our expertise in forensic biology is focused in the following key areas.

Body fluid identification

Screening evidentiary items for the presence of blood, semen, saliva and other deposits of DNA.

Autosomal STR (short tandem repeat) DNA testing

The gold standard of DNA testing, analyzing repeating sequences of proteins at specific locations on a DNA strand. These “repeats” are highly variable between individuals, making STRs an effective tool for identification purposes.

Mitochondrial DNA Sequencing

Wyndham Forensic Group is developing an in-house system to offer our clients mitochondrial DNA testing services for highly degraded bones, rootless hair shafts and genetic genealogy.

In cases where there is insufficient biological material for standard STR testing, mtDNA can play a significant role in an investigation. mtDNA is found in the mitochondria of the cell and because there are so many copies of mtDNA in each cell, this analysis is useful for extremely degraded samples. mtDNA is passed on from mother to child, therefore all maternal relatives share the same mtDNA profile (haplotype). This type of analysis can be helpful in:

Kinship testing;
Missing persons cases;
Genetic genealogy cases; and
Mass casualties.

Human Cell Line Authentication Service

Maintain the integrity of your research with our convenient STR-based service for cell line identity confirmation, intra-species contamination and gender determination using Promega’s PowerPlex® 16 system. Easy to use DNA collection kit, comparison to the ATCC database and an ISO17025 – compliant Certificate of Analysis provided. Are you a researcher preparing a journal paper? Many journals now require cell line confirmation. Click here and discover how we can help you assure your cell line identity.

Male-specific Y-STR DNA testing

In cases where standard STR testing is of little value, we examine specific sites of the Y chromosome, which is found only in males. An important addition to the forensic science toolkit, Y-STR testing is useful in:

Sexual assaults and other cases where samples contain both male and female DNA;
Paternity / relationship testing cases; and
Missing persons cases.

For more information on Y-STRs and their use in forensic science, see our presentation “Why Y’s?“

PRobabilistic Genotyping

For complex mixture interpretation, probabilistic genotyping software such as DNAStatistX and STRMix™ can assist forensic biologists with calculating statistics such as the likelihood ratio.

This service is only available in limited scenarios. Contact us to find out how this technology may help shed light on your investigation.