A Study of lab grade caffeine’s effects on DNA Preservation Using Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy and Fluorescence
Location
Poster Session 1 (Henderson Library)
Session Format
Poster Presentation
Your Campus
Statesboro Campus- Henderson Library, April 20th
Academic Unit
Department of Chemistry
Research Area Topic:
Natural & Physical Sciences - Chemistry
Co-Presenters and Faculty Mentors or Advisors
Desiree Harper
Hannah Bennett
Brantley Dowd
Jack Shuman
Shainaz Landge
Debanjana Ghosh
Abstract
Caffeine is the most prominent stimulant for most people in everyday life. As such a prominent chemical in society, caffeine may be found at crime scenes and could factor into a criminal investigation. Previous research has focused on the effects of caffeine in the body, but never caffeine's direct effects on extracted DNA. In this project, four samples covering two different levels of caffeine concentration (control and DNA - caffeine sample) were tested to see caffeine’s direct effect on extracted DNA, more specifically if it has a preservation effect or not. DNA samples were collected and extracted from 4 different people (2 males and 2 females) and used in this study. To test the hypothesis, varying amounts of caffeine were added to the extracted DNA samples (saliva). Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and fluorescence were then conducted over the span for 4 weeks. The samples were then analyzed by comparing results of a calf thymus calibration curve over the time span. A preservation effect is expected to be found on the DNA over the time span. The results of this experiment could be implemented into DNA preservation strategies for crime scene investigations and will be shared.
Program Description
Caffeine's effect on the preservation of extracted DNA
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Start Date
4-20-2022 10:00 AM
End Date
4-20-2022 11:30 AM
Recommended Citation
Harper, Desiree; Bennett, Hannah; Dowd, Brantley; Shuman, Jack; Landge, Shainaz; and Ghosh, Debanjana, "A Study of lab grade caffeine’s effects on DNA Preservation Using Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy and Fluorescence" (2022). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 13.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2022/2022/13
A Study of lab grade caffeine’s effects on DNA Preservation Using Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy and Fluorescence
Poster Session 1 (Henderson Library)
Caffeine is the most prominent stimulant for most people in everyday life. As such a prominent chemical in society, caffeine may be found at crime scenes and could factor into a criminal investigation. Previous research has focused on the effects of caffeine in the body, but never caffeine's direct effects on extracted DNA. In this project, four samples covering two different levels of caffeine concentration (control and DNA - caffeine sample) were tested to see caffeine’s direct effect on extracted DNA, more specifically if it has a preservation effect or not. DNA samples were collected and extracted from 4 different people (2 males and 2 females) and used in this study. To test the hypothesis, varying amounts of caffeine were added to the extracted DNA samples (saliva). Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and fluorescence were then conducted over the span for 4 weeks. The samples were then analyzed by comparing results of a calf thymus calibration curve over the time span. A preservation effect is expected to be found on the DNA over the time span. The results of this experiment could be implemented into DNA preservation strategies for crime scene investigations and will be shared.
