Background/Objectives: Forensic DNA phenotyping (FDP) enables the prediction of externally visible characteristics (EVCs) such as eye, hair, and skin color, ancestry, and age from biological traces. However, low template DNA (LT-DNA), often derived from degraded or trace samples, poses significant challenges due to allelic dropout, contamination, and incomplete profiles. This review evaluates recent advances in FDP from LT-DNA, focusing on the integration of machine learning (ML) models to improve predictive accuracy and operational readiness, while addressing ethical and population-related considerations. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted on FDP and ML applications in forensic genomics. Key areas examined include SNP-based trait modeling, genotype imputation, epigenetic age estimation, and probabilistic inference. Comparative performance of ML algorithms (Random Forests, Support Vector Machines, Gradient Boosting, and deep learning) was assessed using datasets such as the 1000 Genomes Project, UK Biobank, and forensic casework samples. Ethical frameworks and validation standards were also analyzed. Results: ML approaches significantly enhance phenotype prediction from LT-DNA, achieving AUC > 0.9 for eye color and improving SNP recovery by up to 15% through imputation. Tools like HIrisPlex-S and VISAGE panels remain robust for eye and hair color, with moderate accuracy for skin tone and emerging capabilities for age and facial morphology. Limitations persist in admixed populations and traits with polygenic complexity. Interpretability and bias mitigation remain critical for forensic admissibility. Conclusions: L integration strengthens FDP from LT-DNA, offering valuable investigative leads in challenging scenarios. Future directions include multi-omics integration, portable sequencing platforms, inclusive reference datasets, and explainable AI to ensure accuracy, transparency, and ethical compliance in forensic applications.

The Balkan mountain ranges are major hotspots of genetic diversity and endemism, yet many species remain poorly studied. One such species is Alyssum bosniacum, a narrow endemic of the Central Dinaric Alps. To fill this gap, we examined 143 individuals from 15 populations across the species’ range using flow-cytometric ploidy determination, amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), nuclear microsatellites, and chloroplast DNA sequences. Microsatellite data revealed two genetic clusters, showing moderate differentiation and relatively high diversity. AFLP profiles indicated shallow but geographically structured variation, while chloroplast haplotypes showed limited divergence and regional clustering. Our data suggest possible persistence in multiple microrefugia within the Central Dinaric Alps, although further evidence is needed to confirm this scenario. Despite range fragmentation, genetic variation within the population remains high, indicating evolutionary resilience and supporting the species’ long-term future population stability under current conditions.

Type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1s) acquire and cross-present tumor antigens to prime CD8⁺ T cells. Whether this selects for specific neoantigens is unclear. DNGR-1 (CLEC9A), a cDC1 receptor for F-actin exposed on dead cells, promotes cross-presentation of cell-associated antigens. Here we show that DNGR-1-deficient mice develop chemically induced tumors more rapidly and at higher incidence, and these are more frequently rejected on transplantation into wild-type recipients. Whole-exome sequencing reveals enrichment of predicted neoantigens derived from mutated F-actin-binding proteins. Consistent with this observation, tethering model antigens to F-actin enhances DNGR-1-dependent cross-presentation. These results suggest that DNGR-1-mediated recognition of F-actin exposed by dead cancer cells favors priming of CD8⁺ T cells specific for cytoskeletal neoantigens, which can then drive immune escape of cancer cells lacking or reverting those mutations. Thus, neoantigen cross-presentation by cDC1 can determine the immune visibility of the tumor mutational landscape and sculpt cancer evolution by immunoediting. Here the authors show DNGR-1 expressed by cDC1s promotes CD8⁺ T cell priming to cytoskeletal neoantigens from dying tumor cells, thereby shaping cancer immune visibility and tumor evolution through immunoediting.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory neurodegenerative disorder that typically affects young adults and is primarily characterized by demyelinating lesions in the central nervous system (CNS). According to the Revised McDonald Criteria, the clinical diagnosis of MS can be established based on a combination of clinical observations, the presence of focal lesions in at least two distinct CNS areas on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the detection of specific oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid. Conventional MRI remains a cornerstone of MS diagnosis and disease monitoring, providing high-resolution assessments of lesion burden and brain atrophy. In addition, advanced MRI methods are increasingly applied in research settings to probe myelin integrity, iron deposition, and biochemical changes, with the potential to complement established diagnostic workflows in the future. Despite remarkable advances in the management of MS over the past two decades, complex differential diagnoses and the lack of effective imaging tools for therapy monitoring remain major obstacles, thus channeling the development of innovative molecular imaging probes that can be harnessed in clinical practice. Indeed, positron emission tomography (PET) has a significant potential to advance the contemporary diagnosis and management of MS. Given the solid body of evidence implicating myelin dysfunction in the pathophysiology of MS, myelin-targeted imaging probes have been developed, and are currently under clinical evaluation for MS diagnosis and therapy monitoring. In parallel, ligands for the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) and the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) have been employed to capture neuroinflammatory processes by visualizing microglial activation, while other tracers allow the assessment of synaptic integrity across various disease stages of MS. Further, PET probes have been employed to delineate the role of activated microglia and facilitate the assessment of synaptic dysfunction across all disease stages of MS. This review discusses the challenges and opportunities of translational molecular imaging by highlighting key molecular concepts that are currently leveraged for diagnostic imaging, patient stratification, therapy monitoring and drug development in MS. Moreover, we shed light on potential future developments that hold promise to advance our understanding of MS pathophysiology, with the ultimate goal to provide the best possible patient care for every individual MS patient.

Gastrointestinal nematodes, particularly Haemonchus contortus, represent a major threat to ruminant health and productivity worldwide, largely due to the widespread emergence of anthelmintic resistance. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, benzimidazole resistance has previously been confirmed in domestic ruminants; however, data on wildlife remain lacking. Given the frequent spatial and temporal overlap between domestic and wild ruminants on shared pastures, this study aimed to investigate the occurrence of benzimidazole-resistant H. contortus genotypes within a multi-host system. During the 2024/2025 season, a total of 111 abomasal samples were collected from sheep (n = 20), lambs (n = 12), goats (n = 17), roe deer (n = 40) and chamois (n = 22) across four localities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Laktaši, Banja Luka, Modriča and Višegrad). Adult H. contortus specimens were morphologically identified and confirmed using real-time quantitative PCR (rt-qPCR). Benzimidazole resistance was assessed by allele-specific rt-qPCR targeting the F200Y mutation in the β-tubulin isotype 1 gene. Statistically significant interspecies differences in β-tubulin genotype distribution were observed (p < 0.05), primarily driven by variation in the homozygous resistant (RR) genotype. High RR prevalence was detected in sheep (60%), lambs (50%) and roe deer (52.5%), whereas lower proportions were observed in chamois (27.3%) and goats (23.5%). Overall, 44.1% of all analyzed H. contortus isolates carried homozygous resistant alleles, indicating an advanced stage of benzimidazole resistance within this multi-host system. These findings demonstrate that benzimidazole resistance in H. contortus is not confined to domestic livestock but is also present in wild ruminants sharing the same grazing areas, consistent with circulation of resistant parasites within shared grazing systems.

Sex-biased dispersal may affect the genetic structure of wild populations, often leading to distinct patterns of relatedness between males and females. We examined this phenomenon in the golden jackal (Canis aureus) population from the northern lowlands of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) by analyzing 36 individuals (18 males and 18 females) using 16 polymorphic microsatellite loci. The population exhibited moderate genetic diversity, consistent with the diversity in the region. Analyses of population structure, including STRUCTURE, PCoA, and pairwise Fst (Fst = 0.004; p = 0.190), revealed no significant genetic differentiation between males and females, suggesting a lack of sex-biased structuring. This pattern may be further explained by recent demographic expansion. Analyses of local relatedness showed that the observed patterns reflect local kinship rather than relatedness determined by sex. Although the corrected Assignment Index (AIc​) indicated a trend consistent with male-biased dispersal, this difference was not statistically significant. However, male dispersal warrants further investigation with an increased sample size and broader sample distribution.