Kary Mullis

What PCR is and how Mullis contributed

PCR is a laboratory procedure that uses short DNA primers, repeated heating and cooling cycles, and a DNA polymerase to make many copies of a target DNA segment. Mullis originated the idea of using thermal cycling and short oligonucleotide primers to direct selective replication. The routine, automated form of PCR later depended on thermostable DNA polymerases and optimized protocols developed by others, but Mullis's conceptual innovation made the method possible.

Development, career and recognition

Mullis developed the basic PCR concept in the early 1980s while working in industrial and academic settings. His work was commercialized and rapidly adopted by research laboratories around the world. He received numerous awards, the most prominent being the Nobel Prize. Beyond PCR he held patents and published on scientific and personal topics, and he described aspects of his life and thought in a memoir and essays.

Applications and importance

PCR transformed many areas by allowing detection and analysis of minute amounts of DNA. Examples include clinical diagnostics, pathogen detection, genetic testing, paleogenetics, environmental sampling and forensic DNA profiling. The technique also underpins many modern methods such as quantitative PCR and sequencing library preparation.

Controversies and later life

Mullis was known for an outspoken personality and unconventional views on subjects ranging from medicine to public policy; some of his positions provoked substantial controversy and criticism from parts of the scientific community. He continued to write and speak publicly about science and culture until his death in 2019.

Notable facts and further reading

• Shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his role in developing PCR.
• His idea emphasized the use of primers and thermal cycling to amplify DNA.
• PCR's practical power increased after integration of thermostable polymerases.

For more information, see: biographical overview, technical description of PCR, Nobel Prize entry and further resources.