Molecular Diagnostics: Applications in Genetic Testing, Infectious Disease Diagnosis, and Personalized Medicine

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT a primary application of molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

Forensic analysis

Answer

Genetic testing

Answer

Infectious disease diagnostics

Answer

Personalized medicine

Question 2

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a fundamental technique in molecular diagnostics. What is its primary purpose?

Accepted Answer

Amplify specific DNA sequences

Answer

Detect mutations in genes

Answer

Identify microorganisms in clinical samples

Answer

Analyze gene expression patterns

Question 3

Which of the following applications is NOT within the scope of molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

Tissue engineering

Answer

Genetic testing

Answer

Personalized medicine

Answer

Drug development

Question 4

What constitutes the essential concept behind the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique?

Accepted Answer

Exponential amplification of specific DNA sequences

Answer

Identification and sequencing of genetic variations

Answer

Detection of pathogens through nucleic acid analysis

Answer

Analysis of gene expression levels

Question 5

Which technique enables the detection of genetic variations associated with diseases?

Accepted Answer

DNA microarray analysis

Answer

Karyotyping

Answer

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)

Answer

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Question 6

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is characterized by which approach?

Accepted Answer

Massive parallel sequencing

Answer

Capillary electrophoresis

Answer

Sanger sequencing

Answer

Pyrosequencing

Question 7

Which regulatory body is responsible for overseeing molecular diagnostics in the United Kingdom?

Accepted Answer

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

Answer

National Health Service (NHS)

Answer

Public Health England

Answer

Health Research Authority (HRA)

Question 8

Which of the following techniques finds extensive use in molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Answer

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

Answer

Immunohistochemistry (IHC)

Question 9

What is a central advantage of employing molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

High specificity and sensitivity

Answer

Rapid delivery of results

Answer

Low operational cost

Answer

Non-invasive sample collection

Question 10

What is the main role of nucleic acid amplification techniques in molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

Amplifying specific DNA sequences

Answer

Detecting the presence of specific proteins

Answer

Visualizing the localization of RNA molecules

Question 11

Which molecular diagnostic test type identifies microorganisms based on their genetic material?

Accepted Answer

Nucleic acid test (NAT)

Answer

Antigen test

Answer

Culture-based test

Answer

Antibody test

Question 12

Define the fundamental concept of personalized medicine in molecular diagnostics:

Accepted Answer

Tailoring medical treatment based on an individual's genetic profile

Answer

Eliminating the need for clinical trials

Answer

Developing universal treatments for all diseases

Question 13

Which of the following is a potential ethical concern raised by molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

Genetic discrimination

Answer

High cost

Answer

False positive results

Answer

Limited availability

Question 14

What is the primary responsibility of regulatory bodies in molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of diagnostic tests

Answer

Developing new molecular diagnostic technologies

Answer

Educating healthcare professionals about molecular diagnostics

Question 15

Which of the following represents a future direction in molecular diagnostics research?

Accepted Answer

Development of point-of-care diagnostic devices

Answer

Exclusive use of molecular diagnostics for all medical conditions

Answer

Complete replacement of traditional diagnostic methods

Answer

Elimination of the need for laboratory testing

Question 16

Why is quality control and quality assurance crucial in molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring accurate and reliable results

Answer

Increasing the speed of testing

Answer

Simplifying the interpretation of results

Answer

Reducing the cost of testing

Question 17

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is based on the principle of:

Accepted Answer

Exponential amplification of a specific DNA sequence

Answer

Detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)

Answer

Sequencing of a DNA molecule

Question 18

In qPCR (quantitative PCR), a reference gene is used to:

Accepted Answer

Normalize the expression level of the target gene

Answer

Amplify a specific DNA sequence

Answer

Detect contamination

Question 19

A major ethical concern associated with genetic testing is:

Accepted Answer

Potential discrimination based on genetic information

Answer

Accuracy of the results

Answer

High cost of testing

Question 20

A limitation of molecular diagnostics is that it can be:

Accepted Answer

Expensive

Answer

Unaffected by environmental factors

Answer

Always provides definitive diagnosis

Answer

Used to diagnose all diseases

Question 21

Internal controls in molecular diagnostics are used to:

Accepted Answer

Monitor the efficiency of the assay and detect contamination or inhibition

Answer

Quantify the amount of target DNA

Answer

Identify non-specific amplification products

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT a technique used in molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

Microscopy

Answer

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH)

Answer

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Answer

Southern Blotting

Question 23

The main principle behind PCR is:

Accepted Answer

Exponential amplification of specific DNA sequences

Answer

Hybridization of complementary DNA strands

Answer

Detection of specific RNA sequences

Question 24

The type of molecular diagnostic test used to identify genetic mutations is:

Accepted Answer

Genetic testing

Answer

Forensic testing

Answer

Infectious disease diagnostics

Answer

Pharmacogenomics

Question 25

In FISH, the role of a probe is to:

Accepted Answer

Hybridize to a specific DNA sequence and emit a fluorescent signal

Answer

Amplify a specific DNA sequence

Answer

Separate DNA fragments by size

Question 26

Molecular diagnostics offer the advantage of:

Accepted Answer

High sensitivity and specificity for pathogen detection in infectious diseases

Answer

Non-invasive sample collection

Answer

Low cost and rapid turnaround time

Question 27

Which of the following is a limitation of molecular diagnostics?

Accepted Answer

Potential for false positives and false negatives

Answer

Inability to detect all types of genetic mutations

Answer

Requirement for specialized equipment and expertise

Answer

High cost and technical complexity

Question 28

What is the ethical implication of using molecular diagnostics in personalized medicine?

Accepted Answer

Potential for genetic discrimination and privacy concerns

Answer

High cost of personalized treatments

Answer

Limited access to testing for all individuals

Question 29

What is the difference between diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity?

Accepted Answer

Sensitivity measures the ability to correctly identify true positives, while specificity measures the ability to correctly identify true negatives.

Answer

Sensitivity measures the likelihood of a positive test result, while specificity measures the likelihood of a negative test result.