HOME | swgdam

SWGDAM Mission Statement

The Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods, better known by its acronym of SWGDAM, is a group of scientists representing Federal, State, and Local forensic DNA laboratories from across the United States. During meetings, SWGDAM and its constituent standing committees and other working groups discuss topics of interest to the forensic DNA community, develop guidance documents to enhance the delivery of forensic biology services, and propose changes to the Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) for consideration by the FBI Director.

About SWGDAM

SWGDAM is composed of dedicated forensic scientists from international, federal, state and local forensic DNA laboratories as well as Invited Guests representing academia and other federal agencies. Members are scientists who serve as DNA technical leaders or Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) Administrators for their laboratories and who are recognized as leaders in the area of forensic human DNA identification. Invited Guests are recognized forensic DNA experts drawn from academia, other non-law enforcement federal laboratories, and international agencies who provide their specific expertise in areas that include research, lineage marker testing, population genetics, statistics, and probabilistic genotyping.

The responsibilities of SWGDAM are to: (1) recommend revisions to the Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories and the Quality Assurance Standards for DNA Databasing Laboratories colloquially referred to as the QAS; (2) serve as a forum to discuss, share, and evaluate forensic biology methods, protocols, training, and research to enhance the delivery of forensic biology services; and (3) to recommend and conduct research to develop and/or validate forensic biology methods.

SWGDAM holds regularly scheduled meetings in January and July and its committees and other working groups regularly meet virtually to conduct work on various taskings and work products.

Updates

Future QAS Survey Now Available!!! SWGDAM has created an online survey to gather feedback and suggestions to better inform its discussions of potential future QAS changes to recommend to the FBI. Separate solicitations are being forwarded to DNA Technical Leaders and Quality Managers, Crime Laboratory Directors, and SWGDAM participants and we ask that those individuals respond using those role-specific survey links. All others are welcome to use this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QZ6MXRT to access and respond to the survey. It contains questions regarding the current QAS, potential future changes to consider, and laboratory-specific operations and should take approximately 45 minutes to complete. Please click here for a PDF containing the survey questions to facilitate preparations for responding. At this time, responses will only be accepted through these online survey portals, and they will remain open through at least 12/31/2025. All questions are optional and individuals are asked to only submit a single survey response. Multiple choice questions with circular options allow for only a single selection, while questions with square options allow for multiple selections. Responses for each page can be saved by clicking 'next,' the survey can be continued or edited if using the same link on the same device (i.e., same IP address) until the survey closes, and an option exists to e-mail a completed survey to the respondent on the final page of the survey. Thank you in advance for your participation.

The FBI has Issued the 2025 QAS, Effective July 1, 2025!!! The FBI has issued the 2025 Quality Assurance Standards for DNA Databasing Laboratories and the 2025 Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories that take effect on July 1, 2025 and revised The FBI Quality Assurance Standards Audit for DNA Databasing Laboratories, Effective July 1, 2025 (Excel version) and The FBI Quality Assurance Standards Audit for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories, Effective July 1, 2025 (Excel version).

SWGDAM has aligned the 2025 QAS Guidance Document with the new 2025 QAS!!! SWGDAM has revised the 2025 QAS Guidance Document to align it with the requirements of the new 2025 Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories and 2025 Quality Assurance Standards for Databasing Laboratories that take effect on July 1, 2025.