Madison+Schmitt

DNA amp ©

About The Company: DNA amp © began in 1997 as a small PCR company with less than 100 employees and little power in the industry. Now, 14 years later our company has grown to become a powerhouse in the polymerase chain reaction field and is now an international business. Our company is based in Palo Alto California, approximately 30 miles south of San Francisco. DNA amp  was founded by the late John D. Edwards and is now owned by his granddaughter Madison Schmitt. Our labs are located in seven countries and we are quickly spreading. Every one of our employees is hand selected after undergoing various exams to ensure the quality of our work. We are dedicated to providing our customers with the utmost precision and quality in our amplification of DNA.

About The Owner: CEO and owner of the company; Madison Schmitt, has had a passion for biology since she was a young child. She was born in Half Moon Bay, California but grew up in Niskayuna, New York. She attended Johns Hopkins University where she pursued a Ph. D. in cell biology and in virology. She also attained her M.D from Stanford University. Madison previously worked as a civilian scientist at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) where she studied HIV which is a biosafety level 2 agent. She took over her grandfather’s company in 2001 and business has flourished. She now lives in San Mateo, CA with her family.

The History of PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction was invented in 1985 by a man named Kary B. Mullis. Mullis was working at the Cetus Corporation in Emeryville, California as a chemist when he discovered this technique. This technology is revolutionizing genetic research and many believe that his discovery was one of the most significant advances in molecular biology. Kary B. Mullis received the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1993.

How PCR Works: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">In order to amplify a segment of DNA these components are necessary. The first thing needed is a segment of DNA that will be copied. You will also need synthetically generated primers which are single stranded oligonucleotides that will match the template. Taq polymerase will synthesize the DNA, and dNTPs (deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates) will help the with the synthesizing. Finally a buffer solution is necessary to provide the best possible environment for the reaction to occur in. Polymerase chain reaction works by heating and cooling a segment of DNA in order to amplify it. The PCR machine, also known as a Thermocycler first heats the DNA segment so that it denatures into two single strands of DNA. This step occurs at around 95 degrees Celsius. Next the solution is cooled to a temperature around 55-60 degrees Celsius; this step is known as the annealing step. The primers attach to the corresponding sequence on the DNA segment. In the final step an enzyme known as “Taq polymerase” synthesizes two new strands of DNA to match the original strands by binding to the annealed primer. The complimentary nucleotides are added using the dNTPs along with other components in the solution. This step is known as the extension step and occurs at 72 degrees Celsius. The process results in copies of the original DNA where each copy is made up of one original strand and one new strand. At the end of the process the entire solution is heated again to 95 degrees Celsius in order to be ready for the next round of replication This cycle continues and is repeated as many as 30, 40, or even 50 times and results in billions of copies that are all exactly the same.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 18pt;">Current Uses of the PCR Machine: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The PCR machine has various modern day uses. Criminologists utilize the PCR machine by using it to link people to crimes using DNA left at crime scenes compared to a suspects DNA. This technology is also used in evolutionary studies because with even trace amounts of DNA from fossils we are able to amplify and study the DNA of animals that have been dead for a long time. PCR is also quite helpful in the food industry because it allows for the detection of contamination in organisms. It basically shows whether a food has been genetically modified or contaminated in any way. Lastly, this technique is used in the diagnosis of genetic defects and even the detection of infectious agents. PCR is invaluable in this sense because it allows for early detection of various infectious diseases. PCR catches the disease immediately after the infection rather than waiting for the usual way of detection- the symptoms present, or the antibodies are produced which could be weeks or even months later. This is vital in treatment especially if it is a life threatening disease such as HIV or malaria.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 18pt;">Future Uses for <span style="color: #9bbb59; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 18pt;">DNA <span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 18pt;">amp <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 18pt;">: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our company will continue using PCR technology to study HIV in depth as well as other infectious agents and how to detect them. Many types of cancer are only identifiable by small mutations in specific genes so <span style="color: #9bbb59; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">DNA <span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">amp <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> will also study those mutations. The main goal is to aid the CDC-one of our partners, in detection and treatment of these diseases which affect too many people in our world. Maybe one day in the future these diseases will be unknown because PCR helped find, treat and cure them.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 18pt;">References:


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