DNA expert speaks on issues

Over 500 students, faculty, and staff crowded into the University Student Union Multipurpose Rooms Wednesday afternoon to hear Nobel Laureate Lecturer, and expert DNA witness for the O.J. Simpson double murder trial, Kary B. Mullis.

Mullis spoke on the similarities and differences between the law and science.

"Law makes an interesting mark on civilization, it's very similar to bio-chemistry," Mullis said.

But although law and biochemistry are similar, at times lawyers and scientists view things differently.

"Lawyers believe. Scientists aren't supposed to believe, I don't believe in anything," Mullis said.

His most startling statement was that he still had yet to see that HIV is the probable cause of AIDS.

Mullis told the crowd that he requests anyone with papers to prove the hypothesis that HIV is the probable cause of AIDS to send the papers to him, as he had requested to others in the past.

In 1993 Mullis won the Nobel Prize for his development of PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), a scientific technique of cloning DNA, which is the most absolute kind of evidence, Mullis said.

The process of PCR can be used for DNA analysis of blood, hair, and skin, and has become a major breakthrough in criminal investigations.

Mullis, who has been requested to testify by Simpson's defense team, said his testimony will be based solely on the evidence.

"It seems to be that what you say depends on what side you sit on. The papers say that I'm going to go in there to get O.J. off," Mullis said.

As the 20th speaker brought to Cal State Long Beach by the College of Natural Sciences and mathematics, Mullis drew one of the largest crowds they have seen.

"In the past the audience has been drawn mostly from the College of Arts and Sciences. But the audience was so much larger because he is applying his sciences in the real world," James Jensen, Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, said.

Mullis will speak again Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in the Student Union.