SoftGenetics GeneMarker HID Software

SoftGenetics - GeneMarker^® HID - STR Human Identity Software
Developed in collaboration with Mitchell Holland, Ph.D.,
Associate Director of The Pennsylvania State University’s Forensic Science Program.

Introduction

GeneMarker^® HID is an excellent choice for forensic STR analysis. The software can be employed as a “biologist friendly” replacement for GeneScan^®/GenoTyper^® or an easy-to-use alternative to GeneMapper^® ID.

GeneMarker^® HID uses advanced Windows^® technology that is intuitive, easy-to-learn and eliminates extraneous mouse clicks. For example, the software incorporates an automatic default to your data file folder, eliminating the frustration of sorting through several file trees.

Accurate

Advantages of GeneMarker^® HID are its ease-of-use, enhanced accuracy, analysis speed and robustness. GeneMarker^® HID employs new, unique sizing algorithms and pattern recognition technology to provide unparalleled accuracy of up to 99%. Pattern recognition technology studies peak morphology automatically adjusting for instrument spikes, colour pull-up or bleed through, noisy data, saturated peaks, and stutter peaks.

The majority of functions have been completely automated, using a “smart” software approach to eliminate the need for constant analyst intervention, and to improve analysis-to-analysis consistency.

The GeneMarker HID quality assessment tool permits quick visual inspection of sizing quality for each profile. Improperly sized lanes can be quickly marked for re-run or disabled from analysis calculations.

GeneMarker’s graphics indicate bin range by blue brackets, peak center by vertical grey bars and automatically adjust the Y-axis to match peak RFU values.

GeneMarker HID performs STR analysis in batches of up to 1,000 profiles in seconds, and is compatible with all STR Chemistries including Identifiler®, SGM Plus® and PowerPlex16®.

The software accepts output from ABI PRISM® 310/3100/3130 Genetic Analyzer instruments, as well as all other brands of capillary electrophoresis systems.

Raw Data from ABI Genetic Analyzer System (upper image):
GeneMarker HID automatically adjusts for instrument spike, colour pullup, noisy data, saturated peaks, and stutter peaks— saving significant analysis time and cost, efficiently analyzing raw STR data within seconds. In addition, GeneMarker HID allows the user to conduct a lane-by-lane overview of unprocessed raw data, permitting a quick quality control assessment of your profiles.

Processed Profile using Identifiler chemistry (lower image):
GeneMarker HID processes up to 1,000 profiles per batch in approximately 2 minutes. Stutter filters can be adjusted by allele; software creates “phantom” bins, and provides “colour-coded” quality assessment of each profile, as indicated by yellow and green indicators in the allele report.

GeneMarker HID’s Run Wizard utilizes three simple dialogue boxes to set analysis parameters. Once optimized the parameters can be saved for future analysis, utilizing its single click, AutoRun feature.

Setting analysis parameters is accomplished through 3 easy-to-use dialogue boxes. Once parameters have been set, they can be saved for future analysis, allowing “single click” operation of the AutoRun feature.

A few notable features of GeneMarker HID’ s analysis window include automatic RFU intensity ranging in the electropherogram; distinct peak flags, and several customizable viewing modes. In addition to a user friendly interface, GeneMarker HID also provides an enhanced quality scoring system that flags suspect alleles and identifies samples that have questionable results.

Panel templates and size standards can either be selected from several embedded templates or the user can create and save custom templates. Previously saved ABI panels can also be imported from GeneMapper. Raw data and size calling parameters are also user definable and once the parameters have been set, they can be saved and called back for future analysis.

Nearly every function of GeneMarker HID has been automated so that once the template is selected from the menu, or created by the user, the software automatically performs the initial data analysis in preparation for user review. Analysis results can be sorted and manipulated to meet report requirements and then saved as a text file for input into LIMS or other data base systems. CODIS files can be easily generated and exported. In addition, GeneMarker HID will print electropherograms and peak tables in bulk for either all or selected sample sets in a logical, easy-to-read format.

OS: Windows 98, NT, XP
Processor: Pentium III, 1 GHz 128MB CPU 20 GB Minimum available hard disk space.