Previous research suggests that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is closely linked to inflammation through several different pathways: increase of proinflammatory cytokines, abnormal DAMPs & PRR behavior, and hormonal changes, among others. To discover novel links between inflammation and PTSD, differential gene expression analysis should be performed through targeted RT-PCR of immune-related genes as well as transcriptome profiling of mRNA isolated from patient populations with and without PTSD. However, current protocols to isolate mRNA are highly variable, expensive, and exhibit poor replicability. In this study, a new mRNA isolation protocol is being designed to achieve high yield, purity, and intactness from capillary DBS. The isolation protocol is separated into five stages: 1) DBS collection, 2) cell resuspension & lysis, 3)  kit purification, 4) DNase I treatment, and 5) ethanol precipitation. Most variability arises in attempting to resuspend & lyse due to difficulties in RNA stability, loss of RNA, homogenization of the DBS card, and RNA binding to homogenization substrate. The current optimal extraction includes the use of 4x40mm² of WhatmanTM 903 card pretreated with RNAlater & ThermoFisher GeneJET lysis buffer (LB) & resuspended in 900ul (LB). The resuspenson is homogenized for 1 minute at 3200 RPM for 3 cycles with 15 minutes of incubation time at room temperature between cycles. All lysate is then used in the ThermoFisher GeneJET kit per its human blood isolation protocol. The isolated RNA is treated with PromegaTM DNase I and subjected to ethanol precipitation at -80oC overnight. Yields for optimal extraction are measured to be approximately 27.5 ng per DBS, an amount in the range of 11%-55% of theoretical maximum. More experimental verification is needed to assess this protocol’s effectiveness for its intended downstream applications.