Nucleic acids chemistry has progressed rapidly in the last 10 years with the introduction of many new techniques and the development of many novel therapeutic entities. In "Oligonucleotide Synthesis: Methods and Applications," laboratory experts describe in step-by-step detail the powerful new techniques they have developed for oligonucleotide synthesis and for the use of modified oligonucleotides in biotechnology. Among the protocol highlights are the synthesis of phosphorothioates via new sulfur transfer agents, the synthesis of LNA, peptide conjugation methods to improve cellular delivery and cell-specific targeting, triple helix formation, and a novel two-step process that yields a high purity DNA that is less costly. Novel applications include the use of molecular beacons to monitor the PCR amplification process and nuclease footprinting to study the sequence-selective binding of small molecules.