New Forensic Testing Kit From Applied Biosystems Helps Improve DNA Analysis In Sexual Assault Cases
According to feedback from forensic laboratories surveyed by Applied Biosystems, a high percentage of DNA samples submitted to forensic laboratories are related to sexual assault cases. These samples are often challenging, particularly because of the mixtures of male and female DNA. As a result, the recovery of probative information is limited in approximately 15-20% of sexual assault cases.
With the introduction of the Quantifiler® Duo kit, forensic laboratories can obtain more comprehensive information than conventional methods in a single, highly sensitive quantification reaction. The new kit simultaneously provides a quantitative and qualitative assessment of total human and human male DNA and more accurately estimates the quantity of DNA in degraded samples. This efficiently provides the male-to-female DNA mixture ratio, guides selection of the optimal DNA profiling chemistry kit and is expected to increase analysis success rates. Overall, the Quantifiler® Duo kit streamlines and integrates the forensic DNA workflow to maximize recovery of results from sexual assault cases and other challenging samples.
The improved workflow enabled by the Quantifiler® Duo kit can impact the outcome of complex criminal cases. Laboratories can now efficiently detect low amounts of male DNA mixed with high quantities of female DNA and compare that to the total amount of DNA in each sample. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) forensic laboratory, an early user, is currently validating and planning to add the Quantifiler® Duo kit into its workflow to better assess the characteristics for each DNA sample and obtain information to indicate which DNA profiling chemistry should be used in subsequent analyses: a standard short tandem repeat (STR) kit or a male-specific STR (Y-STR) kit. The ability to obtain more detailed information prior to DNA profiling enables the SDPD analysts to improve results and reduce the need for repeat analysis.
"We have been successful using the Quantifiler® Duo kit and obtaining more precise information from samples that contain mixed gender DNA," said Patrick O'Donnell, the supervising criminalist at the San Diego Police Department's forensic laboratory. "Having the information about the characteristics of a piece of DNA evidence at the beginning of the testing process can be very powerful for guiding the forensic workflow toward better results in less time."
Applied Biosystems is a global leader in the development and commercialization of instrument-based systems, consumables, software and services for the life science market. It is the leader in forensic DNA technologies, providing complete workflow solutions for human identification testing, including instrument systems, reagents and software. The new Quantifiler® Duo kit was developed to enable forensic laboratories to obtain more accurate predictive results that improve the overall workflow. This improved workflow can benefit testing of all DNA sample types; however, it is expected to have the most significant impact on sexual assault cases.
The Quantifiler® Duo kit contains chemistry reagents that are used on an Applied Biosystems real-time PCR system to amplify, detect and quantify the DNA contained in a sample, guiding STR chemistry selection as the next step in the analysis workflow. When the kit detects a low quantity of male DNA mixed with a high quantity of female DNA, a male-specific DNA kit, or a Y-STR kit - the Applied Biosystems AmpF-STR® Yfiler® PCR Amplification Kit - is recommended as a more effective means to obtain results in sexual assault analysis. When the Quantifiler® Duo kit indicates that a DNA sample is compromised, a specialized mini-STR kit - the Applied Biosystems AmpF-STR® MiniFiler™ PCR Amplification Kit - is recommended in conjunction with a standard STR kit to obtain results.
"Complicated DNA evidence should not stop forensic laboratories from getting the informative results they need to help law enforcement investigators solve crimes," said Leonard Klevan, Ph.D., president for Applied Biosystems' applied markets division. "Applied Biosystems is delivering the new Quantifiler® Duo technology to create an integrated workflow which more quickly uncovers critical information for improved analysis of sexual assaults and other challenging cases."
The Quantifiler® Duo DNA Quantification Kit is expected to be available in Spring 2008. For more information about the kit, please visit http://duo.appliedbiosystems.com.
About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems
Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. Applied Biosystems serves the life science industry and research community by developing and marketing instrument-based systems, consumables, software, and services. Customers use these tools to analyze nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins to make scientific discoveries and develop new pharmaceuticals. Applied Biosystems' products also serve the needs of some markets outside of life science research, which we refer to as "applied markets," such as the fields of: human identity testing (forensic and paternity testing); biosecurity, which refers to products needed in response to the threat of biological terrorism and other malicious, accidental, and natural biological dangers; and quality and safety testing, such as testing required for food and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of approximately $2.1 billion during fiscal 2007. The Celera Group is a diagnostics business delivering personalized disease management through a combination of products and services incorporating proprietary discoveries. Berkeley HeartLab, a subsidiary of Celera, offers services to predict cardiovascular disease risk and optimize patient management. Celera also commercializes a wide range of molecular diagnostic products through its strategic alliance with Abbott and has licensed other relevant diagnostic technologies developed to provide personalized disease management in cancer and liver diseases. Information about Applera Corporation, including reports and other information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at http://www.applera.com, or by telephoning 800.762.6923. Information about Applied Biosystems is available at http://www.appliedbiosystems.com. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Applera does not undertake any duty to update this information unless required by law.
Applied Biosystems Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "should," "expect," and "planned," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Applera Corporation's current expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, Applera Corporation notes that a variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include but are not limited to: (1) rapidly changing technology and dependence on the development and customer acceptance of new products; (2) sales dependent on customers' capital spending policies; and (3) other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Applera does not undertake any duty to update this information, including any forward-looking statements, unless required by law.
http://www.appliedbiosystems.com
Nou kit de testare aplicat de la Biosystems Ajutã la îmbunãtãþirea de analizã ADN în cazuri asalt sexual - New Forensic Testing Kit From Applied Biosystems Helps Improve DNA Analysis In Sexual Assault Cases - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate