| In this work, we developed novel techniques for genetic analysis of nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA on microchips. In the first chapter of this work, the background chapter, we explain various concepts used in the rest of the thesis. In the second chapter, we developed a method for mutation detection of PCR products and we integrated both labeling and denaturation of DNA on the chip. In the third chapter, we proposed a labeling method which may be capable of increasing the resolution of separations. Although the expected results were not obtained, the idea for on-chip labeling may increase the resolution and sensitivity of mutation detection techniques.; Mutations in mitochondrial DNA may play an important role in some diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. In the last chapter of the thesis, we introduced preliminary work toward the development of a novel mtDNA purification method that will be used in the analysis of the mitochondrial DNA. We also tried to develop a protocol used for sizing of mtDNA as the first step toward the on-chip characterization of mtDNA. Although the presented results in this chapter are promising, there are some issues to be resolved before this technique can be used in lab-on-a-chip technology. |
