DNA-CHIPS IN PRACTICE AND THEIR CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Abstract

The DNA-chips are almost a decade old and by now have brought an explosion in genetics. With their ability to investigate the biological systems in their complexity microarray experiments resulted in enormous amount of complex data. It will be a challenge for biologists, statisticians and for information technology engineers to develop capable methods for coping with the analysis, validation and interpretation. This revolutionary new field of biology demands absolutely new algorithms, analytical methods and new ways of thinking combined with effective team-work. No doubt that DNA-chips will shortly be very useful and essential technology in the diagnostic and therapeutic processes. In this review we shortly introduce the most important types of DNA-chips and describe their capability and limitations to be clear how to position them in the future scientific ways of thinking.