- 01 Introduction
- 02 Biology of DNA
- 03 Practical Issues Specific to DNA Evidence
- 04 Introduction to the Forensic DNA Laboratory
- 05 Assuring Quality in DNA Testing
- 06 Understanding a Forensic DNA Lab Report
- 07 Statistics and Population Genetics
- 08 Mitochondrial DNA & Y-STR Analysis
- 09 Forensic DNA Databases
- 10 Collection of DNA Evidence from Suspects and Arrestees
- 11 Pretrial DNA Evidence Issues
- 12 Victim Issues
- 13 Trial Presentation
- 14 Postconviction DNA Cases
- 15 Emerging Trends
Principles of Forensic DNA
for Officers of the Court
for Officers of the Court
Module 15 :: Emerging Trends
Topic 2 :: Automation
Microarrays (Chip Technology)
The desire to increase laboratory throughput of DNA typing has led to the development of microarrays. Small, single-use plastic chips are manufactured that hold selected DNA fragments to which SNPs from an evidentiary or known sample will bind or hybridize. Hybrization that has taken place on the chips after the addition of extracted and amplified DNA is signaled by light emitting chemicals and detected inside an instrument. High throughput automation of this system is possible.
Microarrays are already used extensively in studies of human and animal genetic variation and gene expression.
