[T718]The San Bernardino Sun

Over the past couple of decades, the term ?DNA? has become part of the American vernacular. It makes regular appearances our TV's on all the crime scene investigation shows, on our daytime talk shows with topics like ?Who's Your Daddy?? and prominently (and more importantly) in our criminal justice system. DNA Testing Centers have sprung up around San Bernardino Counties in communities such as Ontario, Victorville, Upland, Chino, Pomona and Barstow.

Most labs specialize in either Familial Relationship DNA Testing or in Criminal DNA Testing or both. There are also San Bernardino DNA Testing labs that test specifically for ancestral heritage and cultural ethnicity. As the use of DNA Testing in San Bernardino has become more widespread, the cost has come down considerably, making it a useful tool for many ordinary people who have questions about their heritage, among other things.

You might ask, what is DNA? The answer: DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a nucleic acid that contains all the genetic programming needed in the functioning and development of all known living organisms. It contains two kinds of building blocks called nucleotides that form what looks like a spiral staircase in the genetic material inside all of our cells. These ?stair step?-type structures are encoded with information in the form of chromosomes and the way each rung (or Chromosome) links together forms the basis of all of our genetic traits. It is not a completely random process. On the contrary, most of our genetic information as human beings look exactly alike. But there are certain characteristics or traits that are variable and unique to each individual: eye color, skin color, hair color, facial features, intelligence, etc.

Our particular DNA is like a fingerprint. This has become extremely useful in criminal investigations. But unlike real fingerprints, can take an individual's DNA and trace it backward to discover things like parentage and familial relationship. These traits are passed down from our parents when their two DNA portraits combine to form a fertilized embryo.

Why would anyone be interested in this? While most of us know our families, our parents and even our grandparents, there are many people who do not.

?Children put up for adoption, for instance, may turn to a San Bernardino DNA Testing Lab once they have uncovered a possible link to their birth families to prove a relationship.

?Women who are pregnant but aren't sure who the baby's father is may turn to a DNA Testing Lab in San Bernardino to prove paternity. An accredited lab's findings are legally admissible in court cases and recommended if a DNA test is undertaken. This evidence will prove invaluable to the child in the future.

?Men wishing to prove paternity can be tested by a legally accredited San Bernardino Paternity DNA Testing Lab to either be eliminated or be proven as the father.

?Grandparents who are seeking either visitation or custody to a grandchild can be DNA tested to prove they are, indeed, related to the child. Done through an accredited DNA Testing lab, the results are admissible in a court of law.

?Siblings can prove their relationship through Sibling DNA Testing. This can prove useful in inheritance cases and in proving common ancestry.

?Genetic reconstruction uses the DNA samples of at least two close relatives of a potential father to prove relationship to a child. Two relatives will suffice if the mother is also donating a sample. Otherwise, three close relatives are necessary.

Noreen Culliard of San Bernardino found out only after her mother died that the man she'd always believed was her father was not her father. This was a blow to Noreen, but it sent her on a quest to find her ?other? family. After a lot of detective work, she tracked down a man in Nevada who she believed may have been her father. Unfortunately, he had died a few months before she completed her search. But he left a son, a sister and a brother behind. All three agreed to send samples to a San Bernardino DNA Testing lab to see if Noreen was right ? that they were her family. In such a case, without her mother available, the DNA Lab required three close relatives of the possible father for an accurate result. The DNA test was more than worth it. Noreen was united with her family and began a whole new chapter with them.

Stories like Noreen's come through the doors of DNA Testing Labs every day. Many are more complicated legal issues regarding family relationships. In today's court system, DNA evidence is admissible only if it comes from an accredited San Bernardino DNA Testing Lab where special care is taken for accurate results. If you find yourself questioning your ancestry for any reason, take care to seek out an accredited, well-respected lab that performs DNA Testing in San Bernardino with a reputation for both speed and accuracy. Results shouldn't take longer than a couple of weeks. And considering the possible impact of your search, you'll find the cost well worth it.