Each DNA paternity test is run TWICE by two independent teams in the laboratory.
Team 1 of the Log-In Department receives all packages as they arrive in the lab. The packages and all included items are checked carefully for evidence of tampering. Each DNA sample receives its own unique ID number for the testing process.
A different member of Team 1 will check all samples with the provided paperwork and make sure that the ID numbers are accurate.
The samples are taken to Team 1 of the DNA Testing Department. Here the DNA is removed from a swab, and your DNA paternity test will be conducted using 16 loci including the 13 core CODIS loci (the FBI gold standard for human identification). The DNA sample will be mapped, providing a DNA profile.
The original samples are taken back to the Log-In Department and given to Team 2, where the entire process is repeated. The samples are logged and checked for accuracy, and then they are passed to Team 2 of the DNA Testing Department.
Each DNA sample is mapped a second time, providing a second profile for each sample. The second profile is matched to the first profile obtained by Team 1. The two profiles must be identical.
Once both profiles have been examined, the data is analyzed and one of our PhDs compares the child's DNA profile to the alleged father's DNA profile at 16 different locations (or DNA loci). If the child and alleged father do not match on more than 4 loci, the alleged father cannot be the biological father of the child. If the child and alleged father do match, a paternity index is calculated. The paternity indices for all matching loci are combined and used to calculate the probability of paternity. The probability of paternity is routinely 99.999% or higher.
A DNA paternity report is generated and includes all tested loci, all paternity indices and the final probability of paternity. A member of the Data Analysis Team checks the report to ensure all reported information is accurate.
The final report is given to one of our PhDs for approval, who reviews all of the data and calculations before signing off on the report.
Step 3: Interpreting the Results 
