A study will be conducted on the use of DNA gel electrophoresis and related laboratory techniques, coupled with DNA probe hybridization, and the application and development of techniques, standards, and instrumentation. The long term goal and the compelling need for the study is to establish standards for the application of such recombinant DNA technology to the forensic sciences. Of more immediate use and general importance for basic science are the automation of the procedures such as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) mapping, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, DNA hybridization, and DNA sequencing; automation and standardization of these procedures are important for all genome projects and for biological research in general; in the longer run, the standards, and the necessary instrumentation that can be used to interpret results reliably, including the computer analysis of autoradiograms, will not only benefit biology but also make a rigorous set of techniques available to forensic science. Support for this study will also be provided by the National Institutes of Health, the Justice Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Sloan Foundation.
