FOR RELEASE?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???? ?????? ??????????????????????? ??????NIJ

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2001?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????? ??????????????????202/307-0703

PUBLICATION ADVISORY:

Improved Analysis of DNA Short Tandem Repeats

with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Washington, DC ? The United States Department of Justice has released Improved Analysis of DNA Short Tandem Repeats with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry. The report, funded by the Office of Justice Programs? (OJP) National Institute of Justice, discusses the adaptability of time-of-flight mass spectrometry technology to human identity DNA markers commonly used by forensic DNA laboratories, called short tandem repeat (STR) markers.

Publication: ?????????????? Improved Analysis of DNA Short Tandem Repeats with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (NCJ 188292)?

Based on the study?s results, the authors conclude that time-of-flight mass spectrometry can be a useful means for analyzing large numbers of DNA samples accurately and rapidly, and that it has the capability to meet the needs of the forensic DNA community for offender DNA databases.? The publication reports on matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization coupled with time-of-flight spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) as an effective, rapid and highly sensitive method of DNA analysis.

This document can be found on the NIJ Website under ?What?s New? at:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij

For additional information on OJP and its programs or the National Institute of Justice, please consult OJP?s Website:?

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/

For more information on the publication or for media requests, please contact the Office of Justice Programs? Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at 202/307-0703.

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