DNA Microarray Technology: Advantages and Disadvantages

A DNA Microarray is a test that allows for the comparison of thousands of genes at once.  This test has cut away a great deal of time in experimentation, but now scientists need to focus on the meanings of these results.

Advantages of the DNA Microarray:

• Provides data for thousands of genes
• One experiment instead of many
• Fast and easy to obtain results
• Huge step closer to discovering cures for diseases and cancer
• Different parts of DNA can be used to study gene expresion

Disadvantages of the DNA Microarray:

• Correlations in results do not mean causation
• Very little knowledge is available about many genes
• Just because mRNA is "turned on" doesn't mean proteins are made 
• Will the findings lead to unethical medical procedures?
• Scientists have no standardized way to share results