The laboratory at Beta Paternity uses the most advanced technologies in the industry, giving you accurate and fast DNA test results.
When you send your samples to our laboratory, they are carefully recorded and divided for testing by two independent teams. These two laboratory teams use our Biomek® FX robotics systems for sample handling and preparation. The Biomek™ enables our specialists to quickly extract DNA from the buccal swab samples and prepare them for the rest of the DNA testing process.
The next step is the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). It occurs in a piece of equipment called the thermal cycler. The thermal cycler makes billions of copies of short, specific portions of the DNA called DNA markers. These markers have been determined by scientists to be useful for human identification. Amplifying the DNA markers allows scientists to examine them in the next steps of the testing process. In our PCR, we use a minimum of 16 DNA markers, including the 13 CODIS markers used by the FBI to ensure highly accurate paternity results.
The copies of DNA markers are then analyzed using one of our ABI Prism® 3100’s. These genetic analyzers measure the sizes of the DNA markers produced from amplification. The combination of these sizes makes up a person’s DNA profile. Each person will have 2 copies of each marker: one coming from the mother and one coming from the father. Our scientists will check the child’s DNA profile to see if the sizes of the DNA markers in his/her profile match the sizes in the mother and alleged father’s DNA profiles. At this point, the testing results from the two independent teams are also compared to ensure that they match.
Our DNA analysts make statistical calculations for the probability of paternity using the specially designed DNA•View™ software. Each match between the DNA markers of a child and alleged father is given a score called the Probability Index (PI). If there is a non-match, the PI is zero. Multiplying the PI’s for all the markers gives the combined probability index, which can be converted to a percent probability of paternity (PoP) value. The minimum PoP we accept for an inclusion result (the alleged father is the biological father) is 99.9999%—guaranteed for a trio test (mother, alleged father, and child all tested). An exclusion result (the alleged father is not the biological father) always has a PoP of zero.
At certain checkpoints throughout the testing process, one of our PhDs reviews the data to check for accuracy and determine whether there is a need for extended testing. We have an extended testing panel should the need arise in certain situations. These situations include mutations and unusual family relationships, such as related alleged fathers and incest.
For more information about paternity testing, please visit our Home Paternity Testing page.
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