An Integrated Microfabricated Sample Cleanup and Electrophoresis Analyzer for High-Performance STR Typing

The University of California has received funding under NIJ's Forensic DNA Research and Development Program (FY 2004) to develop a sensitive DNA microdevice capable of analyzing 96 samples in a miniaturized format. Crime laboratory collaborators from the Virginia Department of Forensic Science and the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office are currently testing and evaluating the prototype microdevice, and are working toward incorporating this technology into operational use. This Graduate Research Fellowship project will build upon the initial work, and will focus on establishing the design characteristics and feasibility of integrating the DNA 'sample clean-up' step of the analytical process onto the microdevice. This will improve the utility of the microdevice as well as the quality of the resulting DNA profiles. ca/ncf