How to Perform a Paternity/Relationship Genetic Test using LSM?

The paternity and relationship genetic testing process can be made more efficient using our LSM-Add on , which ensures automating the sample/test preparation and analysis process, and by providing a user-friendly interface for results analysis, LSM makes it possible to perform paternity genetic testing with increased accuracy, speed, and efficiency.

The genetic analysis on the samples can be done using a variety of methods, including PCR (polymerase chain reaction), RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism), or next-generation sequencing (NGS). The choice of method will depend on the desired level of accuracy and the resources available within you laboratory, whatever is your method of choice, our LSM add-on has you covered, since it can seamlessly integrate with any machine/instrument that your laboratory may have.

In the following Knoweldge Base, we will guide you through a step by step process on how to successfully perform a paternity/relationship testing using LSM:

1. Create a Job in LSM
2. Input Patient Records
3. Use the Parser Add-On to Input Analysis Results
4. Download the Report
5. Example

Step 1: Create a Job in LSM

The first step is to create a job in LSM. To do so, simply follow the below steps:

• Open LabCollector and go to the LSM add-on
• Click on “Job” located in the top right corner, then on “Add Job” within the drop down menu in order to create a new job.
• Select “Paternity/Relationship Test“. Please note that you can always create a model dedicated for any type of tests you want. To do so, simply navigate to Admin -> Preferences -> Models (as shown in the screenshot below).

• You can then input the name for the model, its description, the default sample type and select the sample/job parameters you want to appear within your sample/job form. Once you finish, click on “submit“, then head to Admin -> Setup -> Job Requests, and click on Enable Models (as shown below).

• The created models will then appear directly within the Job drop down menu.

• After selecting the corresponding job you want to create, simply fill out all necessary details, such as the job number, job date, its description, name of requester, and any other necessary information.

Step 2: Input Patient Records

• Once you have created the job, the next step is to input the corresponding patient records (you can also perform this step prior to creating the job). First, make sure you create the records for each patient within the appropriate LabCollector module.
• For example, you can open up the patient module and proceed to create a new record, by clicking on the button located in the top right corner.

• Then, enter all necessary details for each of the patients involved in the paternity/relationship test, including information such as the name, date of birth, gender, and any other relevant data.
• Go back to LSM and link the patient records you have just created to the job you previously added in Step 1, by selecting them within the case record list (as shown in the screenshot below).

• Pre-select additional data, such as the type of “alleged” relationship between the patients (“father”, “grandfather”, “aunt”, …), their ethnicity, sample type, …etc.

Step 3: Use the Parser Add-on to Input Analysis Results

• Once you have input the patient records, the next step is to use the parser add-on to input the analysis results. The parser add-on allows you to input Excel or CSV files generated by the machine that performed the analysis. To use the add-on, follow these steps:
• Open the parser add-on in LabCollector
• Select the appropriate folder then import the Excel or CSV file containing the analysis results.

• I-Collector will then automatically input the parameter’s values to their corresponding boxes, TP (tested person), R1 (related 1), and R2 (related 2).

• I-Collector will also validate the job process and generate a report, which you can then download as a PDF format.

Step 4: Download the Report

The final step is to download the report, which will include the percentage of relationship and all other relevant results. To download the report, follow these steps:

• Click on the gear icon next to job for which you want to download the report.
• Click on the “Report” tab.
• Select the report type you want to download.
• Download and review the report.

Example:

To better illustrate how to perform paternity/relationship testing using LSM, let’s consider an example:

Suppose that John and Mary are the alleged parents of Jack, and the lab has obtained DNA samples from each of them. The user should create records for John, Mary, and Jack in LabCollector, including their name, date of birth, gender, and any other relevant information. The user should also link the records to LSM and pre-select the type of supposed relationship, in this case, father and mother.

The next step is to analyze the DNA samples using a genetic analyzer and generate an Excel/CSV file with the results. The user should then upload the file to the Parser and data will be automatically injected into the corresponding tabs/cases thanks to I-collector.

Suppose that the lab analyzed 15 loci and found the following alleles:

The system will automatically calculate the probability of relationship between Jack and John/Mary and generate the corresponding report.

The user can then download the report which shows the percentage of relationship between Jack and John/Mary, along with other relevant information such as the loci analyzed, the alleles found, and the statistical parameters used in the calculation (e.g. allele frequencies, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, etc.). The report can also include any additional notes or comments added by the user.