1. What is DNA?
DNA, stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, the genetic material found in all living things. It controls how our bodies function and what characteristics we inherit from our biological parents.

We inherit our DNA in equal portions from our biological mother and father. Therefore, we share 50% of our DNA with our mother and 50% with our father. Full biological siblings (children sharing the same biological mother and father) also share much of their DNA with each other. To a lesser degree, we also share DNA with other relatives such as our aunts, uncles, and cousins.

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2. For what purposes do people use DNA testing?
DNA testing can be used to answer questions about family relationships. These questions often become important for persons making decisions concerning child support, inheritance, adoption, and health care. DNA testing can be used to:

-Identify a child's biological father so that child support can be legally enforced
-Give a child the emotional support of knowing his/her biological father
-Satisfy curiosities about family relationships
-Help adoption agencies verify the biological parents of a child
-Assist adoptees in finding biological family members
-Verify inheritance rights
-Help immigration authorities reunite families
-Determine whether twins are fraternal or identical
-Help grandparents identify their grandchildren
-DNA testing is also used in the medical field to help health professionals diagnose, prevent, or treat inherited diseases.

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3. How is DNA testing done?
A DNA test starts with sample collection. DNA may be extracted from almost any part of the body, but the most common method is the painless buccal/mouth swab a cotton-like swab rubbed against the inner cheek of a patient to collect loose cheek cells.

In the laboratory, scientists use different procedures depending on what questions need to be answered. In most DNA tests (paternity, grandparentage, siblingship), a procedure called the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is performed to create a DNA profile for each person tested. This DNA profile is like a "snapshot" of a person's DNA. Scientists run statistical analyses that compare two or more persons DNA profiles to determine if they are related. Those who are biologically related have specific similarities in their DNA profiles.

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4. How accurate is DNA testing?
DNA testing is the most accurate method available to determine paternity and other family relationships. With DNA testing, we can say with 100% certainty that an alleged father is not the father, and >99.99% that he is the biological father a higher degree of certainty than any other methods previously used to determine paternity.

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