ISFG - International Society for Forensic Genetics

What ISFG - International Society for Forensic Genetics does

ISFG — the International Society for Forensic Genetics — is a private, nonprofit professional society founded in 1968 (originally as the Society for Forensic Haemogenetics, renamed in the 1990s to reflect the field's transition to DNA-based markers) and headquartered via its German LLC, ISFG Support gGmbH, in Mainz, Germany. The society promotes scientific knowledge of genetic markers as applied to forensic science, serving academic researchers, forensic DNA laboratory professionals, and graduate students across more than 24 countries. Its members participate through a horizontal segmentation model anchored in 15+ specialized working groups (e.g., GHEP-ISFG, ESWG, ASWG, CaDNAP) and an annual international congress that rotates venues globally.

The society's core technology footprint centers on three mandatory validation databases — YHRD (Y-chromosomal STR and mtDNA haplotype data), EMPOP (EDNAP mitochondrial DNA population database), and STRidER (autosomal STR data, the ENFSI Reference Database) — plus a portfolio of free, validated software tools (Familias, EuroForMix/EFM, STRAF, STR Validator, DNAxs, HIrisPlex-S, Pedsuite, MMDIT, OSIRIS) used by forensic genetics practitioners. Content assets include the peer-reviewed journal Forensic Science International: Genetics (launched 2007 with Elsevier, impact factor 4.604 in 2014), DNA Commission recommendations that function as field standards, and congress proceedings spanning 30+ international editions. Educational offerings comprise annual congresses with pre-congress workshops, virtual Summer Schools, online Mini Symposia, and travel fellowships/bursaries for young scientists.

ISFG operates on a membership-based revenue model with three primary streams: (i) annual membership fees across full, supporting (10x base fee), and honorary tiers, with bundled online access to FSI: Genetics; (ii) congress, mini symposia, summer school, and workshop registration fees, discounted for members and students; and (iii) an affiliation-based journal publication arrangement with Elsevier. The society has 6 employees, no external funding rounds, no parent company, and no equity shareholders — it is governed by an elected board and member General Assembly. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

ISFG - International Society for Forensic Genetics

Legal name

International Society for Forensic Genetics

Website

https://isfg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG) is a 58-year-old nonprofit scientific society that advances forensic genetics through its FSI: Genetics journal, three mandatory validation databases (YHRD, EMPOP, STRidER), 15+ working groups, and annual international congresses serving researchers and laboratory professionals worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forensic Genetics Professional Society

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health Genomics & Sequencing (WGS/Metagenomics) Networks (HLAJAIAK)

Keywords

• Forensic genetics society
• Scientific journal publishing
• DNA reference databases
• Professional membership association
• Forensic science congress

Headquarters

HQ city

Mainz

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from individual members including full members, supporting members (tenfold the membership fee for full members), and honorary members (fee waived). Online payment by credit card available.
2. Journal Publication: FSI: Genetics journal published by Elsevier in affiliation with ISFG. Members receive free subscription to the online version as part of membership benefits. The journal launched in 2007 and achieved an impact factor of 4.604 in 2014.
3. Congress and Event Registration: Revenue from ISFG congresses, mini symposia, summer schools, and workshops including reduced fees for members and students. The society offers travel bursaries for young scientists and fellowships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ISFG is a nonprofit international scientific society that promotes forensic genetics through annual membership subscriptions, publication of the FSI: Genetics journal (in affiliation with Elsevier), maintenance of three validated forensic reference databases (YHRD, EMPOP, STRidER), organization of annual international congresses and online mini symposia, and coordination of 15+ regional and topical working groups that issue DNA Commission recommendations and proficiency testing standards for the global forensic genetics community.

Product overview

ISFG operates as a scientific society offering a unified membership-based portfolio centered on the FSI: Genetics journal and three key validation databases (YHRD, EMPOP, STRidER). The membership includes free journal access and various educational programs. ISFG also provides free forensic genetics software tools including Familias (kinship analysis), EFM (probabilistic genotyping), STRAF (STR analysis), Pedsuite (pedigree analysis), and HIrisPlex-S (DNA phenotyping). The society organizes annual congresses and pre-congress workshops as educational events for the forensic genetics community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISFG Membership (Full, Supporting, Honorary)
• Forensic Science International: Genetics (FSI: Genetics) Journal

Quantifiable outcome

• FSI: Genetics achieved impact factor of 4.604 in 2014, the highest ever for a forensic journal
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, minor and core.

• University of Copenhagen - Department of Forensic MedicinestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Hosting annual International Summer Course on Forensic Genetics and Massively Parallel Sequencing, providing training opportunities for ISFG members and students in advanced DNA analysis techniques.
• World Police SummitminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2015The Arabian Speaking Working Group (ASWG) of ISFG holds annual meetings alongside the World Police Summit (e.g., June 2026 in Dubai, May 2025 in Dubai).
• Elsevier PublisherscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Journal publisher for Forensic Science International: Genetics, launched in 2007 in affiliation with ISFG. Fully indexed in Medline and Science Citation Index. Members receive free online access as part of membership benefits.
• YHRD (Y Chromosome Haplotype Reference Database)coreTechnology or IntegrationPublicly accessible database for Y-chromosomal STR and mtDNA haplotype data. All Y-chromosomal STR and mtDNA haplotype data submitted to FSI: Genetics and Int. J. Legal Med. must be accepted by this database for validation.
• EMPOP (EDNAP mitochondrial DNA population database)coreTechnology or IntegrationPublicly accessible database for mitochondrial DNA population data maintained as part of the ISFG's database infrastructure for forensic genetics validation.
• STRidER (STRs for identity ENFSI Reference Database)coreTechnology or IntegrationPublicly accessible database for autosomal STR data. Autosomal STR data must be submitted to STRidER prior to publication in FSI: Genetics.
• ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Network of Forensic Science Institutes partnered through the STRidER database which is the ENFSI Reference Database for STR data.
• ISFG Support gGmbHcoreOthersLLC founded in Germany to directly and exclusively serve the charitable purposes of the ISFG. Main purpose is promotion of science and research, operating and maintaining IT infrastructure, and raising/distributing funds for charitable purposes.
• EDNAP (European DNA Profiling Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDNAP group collaborating on the EMPOP database for mitochondrial DNA population data. The EDNAP mtDNA Population Database is one of the core databases maintained by ISFG.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IAFS - International Association for Forensic Sciences: Global umbrella association for forensic sciences that organizes triennial world congresses covering all forensic disciplines; directly comparable professional-society model to ISFG, though broader in scope.
• SWGDAM - Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods: US-focused scientific working group that issues best-practice guidelines for forensic DNA analysis — the closest functional analog to ISFG's DNA Commissions, with overlapping scientific scope on STR interpretation and validation.
• EDNAP - European DNA Profiling Group: Collaborative European working group on DNA profiling that co-maintains the EMPOP mitochondrial DNA database with ISFG, sharing members, exercises, and standardization roles in forensic genetics.
• IAI - International Association for Identification: Long-running international association serving forensic identification practitioners via conferences, certifications, and publications — operating the same professional-society model as ISFG with overlapping subject matter in human identification.
• AAFS - American Academy of Forensic Sciences: Multi-disciplinary professional society for forensic scientists (including a genetics/biology section), operating the same membership-and-annual-meeting model as ISFG and serving overlapping practitioner audiences.
• ENFSI - European Network of Forensic Science Institutes: Europe-wide network of forensic science institutes that, like ISFG, develops standards, runs proficiency exercises, and partners on infrastructure. ENFSI and ISFG are directly interlinked through the STRidER reference database.

Emerging players

• Society for Wildlife Forensic Science: Professional society for non-human forensic genetics, modeled directly on ISFG's structure (annual meetings, standardized methods, training) but focused on wildlife and poaching investigations.
• ICMP - International Commission on Missing Persons: International organization applying DNA-based identification to missing-persons and mass-disaster cases. Complementary to ISFG's forensic genetics mission, with strong operational overlap but a narrower humanitarian remit.

Broad incumbents

• INTERPOL Forensic Science: International law-enforcement cooperation body whose forensic science directorate sets cross-border standards and notice systems relevant to forensic DNA, intersecting with ISFG's DNA Commission work on broader transnational practice.
• NIST Forensic Sciences: U.S. federal standards-setting body that develops forensic measurement standards, reference datasets, and OSAC guidelines — overlapping with ISFG's reference-database and standards-setting role but with broader scope and government backing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isfg-international-society-for-forensic-genetics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ISFG - International Society for Forensic Genetics