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This study presents two casework applications demonstrating the analytical value of a targeted FFPE punching strategy coupled with STR genotyping for resolving complex scenarios. In the first case, an unexpected focus of high-grade urothelial carcinoma within a prostatic surgical specimen raised concerns regarding cross-sample contamination. STR profiling of microdissected punches\u2014respectively containing the carcinoma and benign prostatic tissue\u2014yielded fully concordant single-source profiles (LR\u2009=\u20092.5\u2009\u00d7\u200910\u00b2\u00b9), thereby unequivocally establishing a common donor origin and excluding inadvertent tissue transfer. In the second case, involving paternity assessment of mechanically aborted embryonic material from an alleged sexual assault, morphologically guided punching enabled selective isolation of chorionic villi from a grossly heterogeneous specimen. Although low-level maternal DNA was detected, mixture interpretation allowed reconstruction of a complete embryonic genotype, resulting in a conclusive paternity (LR\u2009=\u20092.2\u2009\u00d7\u200910\u00b9\u2070). Altogether, these observations underscore the analytical robustness, cost-efficiency, and operational simplicity of punched-FFPE-based STR typing as a first-line approach for contamination assessment and targeted genotype recovery.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s00414-026-03891-1","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T02:43:28Z","timestamp":1782355408000},"page":"4445-4450","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["STR typing from punched FFPE tissues: resolving suspected contamination and fetal\u2013maternal mixture in two cases"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"140","author":[{"given":"Barbara","family":"Di Stefano","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rossana","family":"Bussani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Solange","family":"Sor\u00e7aburu Ciglieri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maurizio","family":"Pinamonti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Claudia","family":"Biagi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manuela","family":"Schneider","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fabrizio","family":"Zanconati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3416-1684","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paolo","family":"Fattorini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"3891_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100311","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsisyn.2022.100311","volume":"6","author":"JM Butler","year":"2022","unstructured":"Butler JM (2022) Recent advances in forensic biology and forensic DNA typing: INTERPOL review 2019\u20132022. 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Written informed consent was obtained from all living subjects involved in the study, in agreement with the General Authorisation no. 9\/2016. For sample 2_V, such consent is not required pursuant to the Measure containing the provisions relating to the processing of special categories of data, under Article 21, paragraph 1 of Legislative Decree 101 of 10 August 2018 (Provisions relating to the processing of personal data carried out for scientific research purposes).","order":2,"name":"Ethics","label":"Ethical approval","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}}]}}