Polymerase Chain Reaction (or "Sometimes works is interesting")

Sometimes work is really interesting.

At work we have a DuPont BAX System Q7, a sweet little PCR machine for testing for bacteria.  Being the curious kind, I had to break it down in 'tard terms so I could understand the process, which the helpful genius behind the machine gladly did for me.

This is my (very simplistic) understanding of the process;

1, We take a sample of something, let's say my blood and stick it in a strip of PCR tubes

2, the PCR machine (The Q7) heat-cycles it to unzip the DNA - break it into single strands

3, With the use of Taq Pol we can start the procedure to try to grow 'bad stuff'

4, Check for the bad stuff...

Here we can test for various substances depending on what we're trying to grow. Let's say we're testing for salmonella and E-coli, we'd basically check the good coming out if any salmonella crew in one test and E-coli in another - this would be in each 'cup' of the PCR strip.

If nothing grew (no DNA was replicated) then we're all set and if it DOES grow, then it's time for further testing.  Let me assure you, I have neither. 

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