SOUTH EASTON, Mass., Oct. 21, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:PBIO) ("PBI" and the "Company") today announced that scientists from the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, Texas ("UNTHSC") reported notable improvements in the yields of DNA from challenging forensic samples -- such as human hair and bone samples -- when the Company's pressure cycling technology ("PCT") was added to the DNA extraction workflow, as compared to the workflow without PCT.

Data were presented by two UNTHSC scientists at the 20th International Symposium on Human Identification on October 14th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dr. Suzanne Gonzalez, R&D lab manager at the UNT Center for Human Identification ("UNTCHI"), gave an oral presentation entitled "Pressure Cycling Technology (PCT) Applications for DNA Extractions from Challenging Forensics Samples." In addition, Ms. Elizabeth Feller, a research scientist at UNTCHI, presented a scientific poster entitled "DNA Extraction from Hair Using Pressure Cycling Technology."

Dr. Suzanne Gonzalez, co-principal investigator of the two studies, commented: "Our results indicate that PCT extraction followed by DNA purification offers an excellent enhancement to conventional extraction procedures. Potential benefits include increased DNA yield, reduced processing time, cost reduction, and the elimination of hazardous organic reagents used in most common extraction techniques for challenged forensic samples."

Dr. Bruce Budowle, Executive Director of the Institute of Investigative Genetics at UNTHSC, said: "We conducted an evaluation of PCT's ability to extract DNA from a variety of forensic samples. Our data show that this novel extraction method can increase the amount of DNA recovered for downstream analysis from forensic samples, including aged, degraded, damaged, inhibited, or otherwise challenging samples. Importantly, PCT has the concomitant benefit of decreasing both labor time and consumables cost required for DNA analysis. Based on these findings, we believe that PCT can be a valuable tool in the repertoire to augment the DNA typing workflow."

Dr. Nathan Lawrence, VP of Marketing at PBI, commented: "UNTHSC -- a leading, well-respected forensics center -- is led by one of the nation's top investigative forensic scientists, Dr. Art Eisenberg. We are thrilled that UNTCHI chose to evaluate the efficacy of PCT when added to DNA extraction procedures. We believe that the data they generated are both significant and compelling, and clearly show the advantages of adding PCT to the DNA typing workflow. We are honored that Dr. Eisenberg and his team chose to present these exciting data at such an important, international forensics meeting."

Mr. Richard T.