Nadia+Mirza

**Welcome to the O’Callaghan Research Center Website** **//A Little Bit about Us://** Our Company was created in 1988 by a man named Dr. James O’Callaghan PhD after the Polymerase Chain Reaction machine was created to make millions of copies of DNA for research. Dr. O’Callaghan created this company to study Ebola for one reason: to keep the world free of it. Ever since Dr. O’Callaghan lost his wife to the terrifying virus. At O’Callaghan Research Center, we use PCR machines to find a way to cure this horrible and shocking virus. After 25 years of research we have been getting closer to our goal of keeping the world Ebola-free.

**//Know the founder://** James O’Callaghan was born in a small town in Wicklow, Ireland. He went to Trinity College and received his PhD in Human Genetics in 1977. He worked for a genetics company in Dublin for a few years. He then immigrated to the United States in 1980 with his wife Melanie. After five years living in New York, James’ wife suddenly died of Ebola. This pushed Dr. O'Callaghan to create the O'Callaghan Research Center. Where finding a cure for Ebola is their only goal.

**//The History of the PCR machine://**

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The PCR machine was invented in the 1985 by a man named Kary B. Mullis while working as a chemist in Emeryville, California. This really revolutionized the world of genetics. Now we researchers can create billions of copies of DNA with such a small amount of it. The PCR machine makes researching and curing viruses much easier; not just genetics and the study of viruses but it helps the field of criminology and archeology too. He won the Nobel Prize in 1993 for creating the PCR machine. ======

//**How to Use a PCR Machine/The Science Behind It: **// To use a PCR machine is very simple and is very affective when you need many copies of DNA in a short amount of time. This lets scientists try experiments out, and if it doesn’t work they still have the same DNA left to work with. First, you need a small amount of DNA from the template strand, two primers (chosen based on what you are copying), buffer, sterile water, DNA polymerase, and a few other materials. You mix the materials into test tubes with the specific amount needed (varies on what you are trying to copy) while the tubes are in cold water. They are left in the cold water till they are ready to be put in the machine. They are then put into the machine where they are left there for about four hours.

Inside the Thermal Cycler there are a few processes going on that are repeating multiple times over the four hours. The first process is called denaturation. This process is when the DNA is heated to very high temperatures which cause the double helix DNA to separate into single strands. This makes the DNA available for the primers. Then the primers anneal (they are able to combine with the DNA by heating and cooling) to the complementary regions of the DNA. When the double helix is made again it is formed with the primers and the complementary strand. The next process is called extension. This is when DNA polymerase comes in and reads the complementary strand. Then DNA polymerase matches the complementary nucleotide to each nucleotide on the strand. This is repeated over the next four hours.

**//Modern Uses of the Technology://** Today there are many uses for PCR machines. A great example would be for food control. The International Union of Food Science and Technology and the Institute of Food Technologists are using PCR machines in Brazil to check for GMOs (genetically modified organisms), pathogens (any disease producing agent ie: bacteria or virus), allergens and many other. Another great example is with ancient DNA. Now we are able to extract DNA fragments from an animal that lived a long time ago. If you are able to make a full of its DNA, then we could recreate that animal hundreds or even millions of years after it went extinct! Also, PCR machines are used at crime scenes to create multiple copies of the DNA of blood, tissue, or even semen found at a crime scene. The possibilities are endless with this technology.

//**What are our Company's Plans for the Future:**//
 * We plan to make Ebola known and keep improving on a way to prevent it
 * Research in depth even more to find a cure for this deadly diesease
 * Help ways to improve this technology more so we can cure Ebola at a faster pace
 * ** Save lives **

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//index-2//. 2012. Photograph. nobelprize.orgWeb. 22 Jan 2012. . Jennings, Chris. "PCR." Niskayuna High School, Niskayuna, NY. January 2012. Lecture.

“Modern Molecular Methods (PCR) in Food Control: GMO, Pathogens, Species Identification, Allergens.” //www.worldfoodscience.org//. 2011. Web. []

//PCR//. 2009. Photograph. molecularstation.comWeb. 22 Jan 2012. [].

//TCPLUS open//. N.d. Photograph. onlinelabsupplies.com Web. 22 Jan 2012. [open.jpg].

“The History of PCR.” //siarchives.si.edu.// 2004. Web. []

“Using molecular marker technology in studies on plant genetic diversity.” //www.bioversityinternational.org//. 2003. Web. <http://www2.bioversityinternational.org/Publications/Molecular_Markers_Volume_1_en/molmarkers/PDF/PCR%20basics.pdf>