Glossary
Click on any of the individual terms to display the meaning...
- Accredited laboratory
- A Laboratory that has implemented a quality management system for all areas of the business functions. The management systems purpose is to ensure quality and minimise the risk of errors, capture errors when they occur and generally ensure professionalism throughout. Accreditation is awarded once a third party accreditation provider has verified, audited and validated the quality manuals and procedure. After the initial examination, many accreditation bodies will constantly monitor the accredited organisation.
- Approved DNA Sampling Clinic
- This is a medical based organisation that has been trained in all the procedures for sampling DNA from individuals. The aim of this is to give people the option to perform the test in a professional environment near to where they live. Clinics are trained in the sampling procedure, how to use our DNA sampling kit, how to avoid contamination and what information to provide to the sample donor.
- Buccal swab
- The same thing as mouth swab. The inside of the cheek is very gently wiped (there is no pain - try it for yourself with a clean fingernail) to collect some cells with a device similar to a cotton wool bud. These cells contain the DNA we need for the test.
- Chain of custody
- The way that Crucial Genetics makes sure that samples come from identified people and are transported and tested in a way that is tamperproof and free from mistakes.
- Code of Practice
- The voluntary code of practice for UK paternity testers issued by the Department of Health. Crucial Genetics adheres to the code.
- Court Directed Parentage Tests
- Section 20 of the Family Law Reform Act 1969 gives courts the power to direct a scientific test to ascertain the parentage of a child. Usually only necessary when one party does not want testing to be done, if the court does make a "section 20 direction" then they must choose a tester from a list of accredited bodies maintained by the government's Ministry of Justice.
- Ministry of Justice
- The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the courts, prisons, probation, criminal law and sentencing. It was created on 9 May 2007.
Visit http://www.justice.gov.uk/ for more information. - Department of Health
- Provides a voluntary code of conduct for paternity testers. Crucial Genetics adheres to the code.
- DNA Banking or Archiving
- Is the storage of a DNA sample for a future purpose. DNA Banking does not happen without appropriate consent specifying the uses for a DNA sample.
- DNA Probes
- A short sequence of DNA labelled isotopically or chemically that is used for the detection of a complementary nucleotide sequence.
- DNA Sample
- Most of the cells in the body contain DNA. The DNA that we collect is called a sample.
- DNA Sampling Kit
- The pack we send out to the medical professional who is to take the DNA Sample. The pack consists of buccal swabs, eppenfdorf tubes, consent form, instructions, terms and conditions, sterile gloves, tamper evident envelope and a return envelope.
- DNA Testing
- Is the method of either profiling or sequencing DNA for a multitude of uses, from forensics to paternity testing and pre-disposition testing.
- Familial Kinship Analysis/ Family relationship testing
- Sampling and analysing DNA in order to find out whether or not two (or more) people are biologically related.
- Genetic Markers
- The same thing as DNA probes.
- Impartiality obligation
- Our obligation to you is to provide an accurate test result. To do so means we must concentrate on the science and procedures of the test and cannot provide support or counselling for clients although we can recommend some useful organisations.
- ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation
- Is a well respected high class form of laboratory accreditation.
- Mouth swab
- The same thing as buccal swab. The inside of the cheek is very gently wiped (there is no pain - try it for yourself with a clean fingernail) to collect some cells. These cells contain the DNA we need for the test.
- Paternity Testing
- Sampling and analysing DNA to find out whether or not a person is the biological father of an individual.
- PCR
- Polymerase Chain Reaction. A technique for making many identical copies of the DNA in a sample. This technique amplifies the DNA for analysis.
- Pre-disposition testing
- It has become apparent that one can be susceptible to a certain disease due to their genome. Pre-disposition tests are designed to decipher an individuals susceptibility to a genetically inherited disease.
- Sample Donor
- An individual who has submitted their DNA for testing.
- Sibling Test
- This is where we test to see if individuals share the same mother, father or both mother and father.
- Standard Procedure
- Is what we devise for all operation of our business. All our procedures are optimised and validated for enhancing quality and ensuring reliability and accuracy.
- Testing Kit
- The pack we send out to the medical professional who is to take the DNA Sample. The pack consists of buccal swabs, eppenfdorf tubes, consent form, instructions, terms and conditions, sterile gloves, tamper evident envelope and a return envelope.
- Twin-zygosity
- Identical twins.
- Y-chromosome
- The chromosome only found in men which allows us to establish if males are biologically related down the male line only.