Speaker: Riccardo Pizzichemi
24 Marzo 2026 | 14:15
DEIB, Sala Seminari "A. Alario" (Ed. 21)
Per maggiori informazioni: Silvia Cascianelli | silvia.cascianelli@polimi.it
Sommario
Tuesday, March 24th, 2026 at 2:15 pm a new appointment of Data Science Seminars: Bioinformatics focus will take place in DEIB "Alessandra Alario" Seminar Room (Building 21) organized by the Data Science for Bioinformatics group.The seminar will be held by Riccardo Pizzichemi, PHD Student in Data Analytics and Decision Sciences, on the following subject: "From biological traces to probabilistic evidence: workflow and statistical interpretation in forensic DNA analysis".
Forensic genetics uses DNA profiles to identify individuals in judicial investigations, providing evidence that can link biological traces to potential contributors. Modern forensic DNA analysis is primarily based on the examination of short tandem repeats (STR), highly polymorphic loci that allow discrimination between individuals. While the laboratory workflow that generates STR profiles is well established, the interpretation of forensic DNA evidence often presents substantial analytical and statistical challenges, particularly when dealing with degraded samples, low-template DNA, or mixtures of genetic material from multiple individuals. In this seminar, we first introduce the general workflow of forensic DNA analysis, from biological trace collection and DNA extraction to STR amplification and capillary electrophoresis, which produces the electropherogram used for allele identification.
As a case study, we discuss the investigation of the Yara Gambirasio homicide in Italy, one of the most prominent forensic DNA cases in Europe.
The analysis and interpretation of the DNA profile as “Ignoto 1” played a central role in the investigation.