Applications of the universal DNA microarray in molecular medicine.

Integration of molecular medicine into standard clinical practice will require the availability of diagnostics that are sensitive, rapid, and robust. The backbone technology underlying the diagnostic will likely serve double duty during clinical trials in order to first validate the biomarkers that contribute to both drug response and disease stratification. PCR/LDR/Universal DNA microarray is a promising technology to help drive the transition from the current paradigms of clinical decision making to the new era of personalized medicine. By uncoupling the mutation detection step from array hybridization, this technology becomes fully programmable. It exploits full use of the sensitivity that the ligase detection reaction can provide, while maintaining a rapid read out on a universal microarray. Thus, PCR/LDR/Universal DNA microarray is 50-fold more sensitive and 10-fold more rapid than conventional hybridization-only arrays. The intent of this article is to provide investigators with a perspective on current uses of this approach, as well as to serve as a practical guide to implementation.