Which technique earned Kary Mullis the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry?

The polymerase chain reaction earned Kary Mullis the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Mullis shared the prize with Michael Smith for contributions to the development of methods within DNA-based chemistry.

PCR is a laboratory technique that amplifies a selected DNA sequence. Repeated cycles of heating, primer binding, and DNA synthesis produce many copies from a very small starting sample. The use of heat-stable DNA polymerase made automated cycling practical.

PCR became essential in genetics, medical diagnosis, forensic science, and biological research. It is often confused with DNA sequencing: PCR makes many copies of a target, while sequencing determines the order of bases. Mullis received the prize for inventing PCR, not for discovering DNA polymerase itself.