Edited by the inventor of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the 1993 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, Kary Mullis, as well as two experts in the field, this handbook provides up-to-date methodological protocols from the world's leading laboratories, in addition to new techniques and enhanced applications not yet available in book form. Nearly 40 chapters inform the novice and experienced PCR user on how to optimize their results. In the chapters on applications, researchers provide not only protocols, but also descriptions of how PCR has revolutionized their particular field. Future enhancements of PCR, as well as new potential uses, are discussed. Readers can learn how PCR has changed the face of diagnostic testing, cancer research, genetics, forensics, plant biology, DNA sequencing and gene therapy. Special sections include the latest on QPCR, non-isotopic detection, genetic analysis, and PCR and the world of business, which includes a behind-the-scenes look at the legal battles between biotech giants Cetus and DuPont. It also provides insights into the origins of PCR and the history of nucleic acid research.