RTI International and Othram awarded NIJ funding for major study of forensic genetic genealogy across ancestral populations

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. and THE WOODLANDS, TX — Independent scientific research institute RTI International and Othram announced that they have received funding from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to conduct one of the first large-scale studies evaluating the performance of forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) across a wide range of ancestral populations encountered in U.S.-based forensic investigations for human identification.

The study is expected to become one of the most comprehensive evaluations of forensic genetic genealogy performance across ancestral populations relevant to U.S.-based forensic investigations. It will help inform future policies, case selection strategies and best practices for medical examiners, forensic laboratories and law enforcement agencies investigating unidentified human remains and missing persons cases.

Unlike traditional forensic DNA testing, which typically relies on direct comparison to identify an individual or link evidence to a known person, FGG uses advanced DNA analysis to identify distant genetic relatives of an unknown individual. Investigators then combine those DNA-based relationships with family history research and public records to generate investigative leads. This approach has become an important tool in cases involving unidentified decedents, missing persons and violent crimes, especially when conventional forensic methods have not produced answers.

“Investigators are often forced to make decisions about which cases are most likely to benefit from advanced forensic DNA testing based on limited information and anecdotal experiences and this study will provide data to help investigators better assess when FGG may be an effective investigative tool,” said Nikia Johnson, principal investigator and research forensic scientist at RTI.

As the use of FGG expands, agencies need objective data to understand when the technique is most likely to generate useful leads and how its performance may vary across different case scenarios. The project will generate empirical data to better understand the effectiveness of FGG across multiple ancestral populations and provide evidence-based recommendations for future forensic practice. The study will also examine how traditional forensic ancestry assessments compare against ancestry inferred from genomic data.

“This research is designed to provide objective data that can help agencies make more informed decisions and ensure that emerging forensic technologies are applied as effectively and equitably as possible,” said Dr. Heather McKiernan, co-principal investigator and senior director of scientific strategy at Othram.

By combining DNA analysis with genealogical research, FGG is a force multiplier for forensic investigations, helping investigators identify unknown decedents, generate investigative leads and resolve cases that have remained unsolved for years or even decades. As the use of FGG continues to expand, researchers and practitioners are seeking a better understanding of how these methods perform across relevant populations and investigative contexts.

“Forensic genetic genealogy has transformed human identification, yet important questions remain about how these methods perform across diverse populations,” said Dr. David Mittelman, Othram CEO. “This study will help provide the data needed to better understand the strengths and limitations of these techniques and guide their future application.”

Othram has worked with local, state, federal and international partners to apply forensic genetic genealogy in thousands of investigations involving unidentified human remains, missing persons and violent crimes. Through its work across jurisdictions, Othram has supported more forensic genetic genealogy investigations than any other organization and will contribute its expertise in forensic genomics, genetic genealogy and human identification to help generate data that can inform the future application of these technologies.

This project is supported by Award number 15PNIJ-22-GG-04394-RESS, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.

About Othram
Othram is an identity inference infrastructure company that converts biological and investigative uncertainty into legally defensible identity, at scale. Othram is built as a vertically integrated system spanning forensic genomics, genetic genealogy, evidentiary reasoning, and operational workflows, intentionally designed to function as a single inference pipeline under scientific, legal, and operational constraints.

In the United States, Othram works with federal partners and law enforcement agencies in nearly every state and supports investigations internationally at both local and national levels. Othram’s infrastructure connects to the world’s largest database consented for forensic genetic genealogy matching and is purpose-built to deliver reliable identity outcomes where certainty matters most.