The international standard for forensic Y-STR profiling was published in the International Forensic Science International: Genetics on 4^thJune, 2020. Prof. Yiping Hou of our school participated in the formulation of this standard. This is the first time that forensic scholar in China participated in the formulation of the standard of the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG). The International Society for Forensic Genetics is an international association promoting scientific knowledge in the field of genetic markers analyzed for forensic purposes, mainly through formulating standards, publishing scientific recommendations from the expert DNA commissions, and organizing regular meetings of either regional or international nature. Since 1989, the DNA Commission of the ISFG has successively published a series of guidelines and recommendations on relevant forensic genetic issues, which have played a key role in the normalization and standardization of DNA typing.

Forensic Y-STR profiling is in technological frontier of current forensic DNA typing. Forensic genetic laboratories have already performed a large amount of STR analyses of the Y chromosome, in particular to analyze the male part of complex DNA mixtures. However, the statistical interpretation of evidence retrieved from Y-STR haplotypes is challenging. The previous recommendations of the DNA commission of the ISFG on the use of Y-STRs in forensic analysis covered the interpretation issue only marginally. The current recommendations address a number of topics (frequency estimators, databases, metapopulations, LR formulation, triage, rapidly mutating Y-STRs) with relevance for the Y-STR statistics and recommend a decision-based procedure, which takes into account the legal requirements as well as the availability of population data and statistical methods.

The participation in the formulation of international standards demonstrates that the research team headed by Prof. Yiping Hou has been ranked one of the top groups among the forefront of the world. It also strengthens the connection between our institute of forensic medicine and the international academic community, and further consolidates our school's leading position in the field of forensic science in China, providing strong support for the sustainable and stable development of forensic science in Sichuan university.