Introduction

Introduction

Home > DNA Amplification > DNA Amplification > Introduction

The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a process by which a portion of a DNA strand can be replicated to yield multiple copies. Kary Mullis and members of the Human Genetics group at the Cetus Corporation (now Roche Molecular Systems) first described the PCR process in 1985. In 1993, Kary Mullis received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work.

Click here to visit the Applied Biosystems site for more information on PCR licensing, patents and trademarks.

The quality and quantity of DNA recovered from forensic samples is often limited, and characterization would not be possible without the PCR method. The PCR process has dramatically improved the capability of DNA analysis to obtain valuable evidence in a wide range of forensic applications.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit of instruction, the student shall:

Explain the amplification process to include primer design
Describe how a thermal cycler works
Describe the reagents needed for amplification
Explain methods for optimizing the amplification process

< Previous Page :: Next Page >