Long term objective is to purify DNA of fetal origin, starting with a sample of maternal blood. This is an enabling technology to be used with a variety of Diagnostic Methods including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH), Electrophoresis. The whole human genome becomes analyzable for a fetus, in utero, without invading the fetus for a sample. Steps already available at Applied Imaging include enrichment onto a slide with an automated microscope. Operator editing of the cells found ensures that only fetal cells are used. The work for Phase I is proposed to develop a light activated protective layer to stabilize the single cells of interest, while eliminating all other cells from the slide. Phase I will also design the means to remove the light activated protective layer and make the DNA from these single cells available for further processing. Phase II will join the Phase I methods with an amplification system (such as PCR) with which the whole DNA of fetal cells is made available for further study. This will be joined to existing methods, such as electrophoresis, to demonstrate usefulness of the proposed procedure.
