Overview and 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.

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The quality and quantity of DNA recovered from forensic samples are 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.

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