research Predicting Physical Appearance from Low Template: State of the Art and Future Perspectives
Forensic DNA phenotyping (FDP) from low template DNA (LT-DNA) has advanced with the integration of machine learning (ML) models, improving predictive accuracy for traits like eye and hair color, with AUC > 0.9 for eye color and up to 15% improvement in SNP recovery. Tools such as HIrisPlex-S and VISAGE panels are effective for eye and hair color prediction, though challenges remain for skin tone, age, and facial morphology, especially in admixed populations. Future efforts should focus on multi-omics integration, portable sequencing, and inclusive datasets to enhance accuracy and ethical compliance in forensic applications.
