DNA chip-based microbiology

As the clinical laboratory evolves to ward increased automation and the genomics era provides abundant nucleic acid target sequences, DNA chips and microarrays will become important research and diagnostic tools during the next decade. Although DNA chip platforms are not currently used for routine clinical testing nor FDA approved for specific applications, the emerging importance of arrays in basic and clinical microbiology is apparent. Clearly, further development of low-cost microarrays and bioelectronic chips will increase the accessibility of DNA chip applications for the diagnostic laboratory.