Two recent news reports highlight new DNA testing equipment that could bring even faster DNA test results, fast-tracking diagnoses in medicine and enabling rapid human identification in national defense situations. Both are essentially superfast versions of DNA testing equipment currently used in paternity testing laboratories:

1. A thermal cycler, which normally takes 1.5 hours to process a DNA sample, has been developed to complete the process in three minutes. A thermal cycler is used to facilitate the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a step in the paternity testing process in which target DNA molecules are multiplied billions of times so that scientists can then analyze the material (analogous to how a microscope allows a viewer to see minute objects—by amplification).
   → An immediate application of this technology is in a medical office setting, where doctors can confirm a patient’s diagnosis before issuing a prescription during the patient’s appointment.
2. The RapidHIT System by IntegenX combines all the standard procedures in the DNA testing process—from sample processing and DNA purification, PCR, through genetic analysis—in one portable unit. This process also reduces a 12-14 hour laboratory timeframe to less than two hours.
   → The US Department of Defense has commissioned the development of this system for human identification to confer “significant tactical advantages in various DOD operational scenarios.”

DDC continues to monitor the latest DNA technology to provide our clients with the fastest DNA testing services in the industry. We currently offer a 2-day standard paternity test, as well as a 24-hour expedited service.
DDC combines state-of-the art technology with careful analysis by our highly qualified scientists, followed by a final review by one of our Ph.D. laboratory directors. In a paternity test, DNA profiles from the tested parties undergo careful comparisons and complex statistical analyses to determine the probability of paternity. The results are then reviewed by one of our PhD-degreed laboratory directors. To learn more about DDC’s paternity testing process, visit our Science and Technology section.
For more information about obtaining a DNA paternity test, visit our website, https://dnacenter.com, or call us at 1-800-613-5768 for a free consultation.