Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to efficient sensors for detecting the presence and concentration of one or more particular target molecules in solutions, air or other gasses, or otherwise present in an environment or sample. Various embodiments of the present invention provide relatively large binding constants or, equivalently, relatively small dissociation constants for binding of target biopolymers or other target molecules with complementary probes bound to, or associated with, a sensor substrate. In addition, various embodiments of the present invention increase the area of the surface of the sensor affected by binding of a target biopolymer or other target molecules to the sensor which, in turn, produces a stronger signal and greater signal-to-noise ratio for a given number or concentration of bound target biopolymers or other target molecules.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for selectively functionalizing a transducer microarray. The method provides a microarray including a field of transducers exposed to a shared local environment. A difference in the pH associated with the transducers is created. As a result, functional molecules are selectively bound to transducers in response to the pH associated with the transducers. In one aspect, the micro-array also provides a field of transducer pH-generating electrodes, one pH-generating electrode for each transducer, and a counter electrode. The difference in pH associated with the transducers is created by selectively applying a voltage potential between pH-generating electrodes and the counter electrode, to create a difference of pH in regions adjacent to the transducers.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for selectively functionalizing a transducer microarray. The method provides a microarray including a field of transducers exposed to a shared local environment. A difference in the pH associated with the transducers is created. As a result, functional molecules are selectively bound to transducers in response to the pH associated with the transducers. In one aspect, the micro-array also provides a field of transducer pH-generating electrodes, one pH-generating electrode for each transducer, and a counter electrode. The difference in pH associated with the transducers is created by selectively applying a voltage potential between pH-generating electrodes and the counter electrode, to create a difference of pH in regions adjacent to the transducers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to for detecting the presence and concentration of one or more particular target molecules in solutions, air or other gasses, or otherwise present in an environment or sample, by impedance-spectroscopy-based sensors. Various embodiments of the present invention provide for derivatizing target molecules with nanoparticles to increase capacitance changes at electrode surfaces in order to generate stronger signals and improve signal-to-noise ratios of impedance-spectroscopy-based sensors.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to efficient sensors for detecting the presence and concentration of one or more particular target molecules in solutions, air or other gasses, or otherwise present in an environment or sample. Various embodiments of the present invention provide relatively large binding constants or, equivalently, relatively small dissociation constants for binding of target biopolymers or other target molecules with complementary probes bound to, or associated with, a sensor substrate. In addition, various embodiments of the present invention increase the area of the surface of the sensor affected by binding of a target biopolymer or other target molecules to the sensor which, in turn, produces a stronger signal and greater signal-to-noise ratio for a given number or concentration of bound target biopolymers or other target molecules.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to reusable, length-adjustable nanoscale tethers that can be incorporated into a variety of different sensors and other electrical, electro-mechanical, electro-optical-mechanical, and optical-mechanical devices. An optionally reusable, length-adjustable nanoscale tether that represents one embodiment of the present invention comprises a binding-structure component, having a substrate-anchor subcomponent and a binding-adapter binding domain, and a binding adaptor that binds to the binding-adapter binding domain and that has a target-binding subcomponent that binds to a target molecule, target particle, or other target entity. The binding-adapter binding domain can be positioned at different distances from the substrate anchor within the binding-structure component so that the distance between a bound target and a sensor substrate can be precisely controlled.

Abstract: An impedance spectroscopy system and method are provided for quantitatively measuring DNA. The method provides a transducer having electrode surfaces exposed to a shared local environment. The electrode surfaces are functionalized with an oligonucleotide to interact with a predetermined DNA target. A DNA sample solution is introduced into the local environment. The solution includes nucleotides, polymerase enzyme, and primers. The DNA sample is thermocycled to promote a first DNA target polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Then, capacitance is measured between a pair of transducer electrodes, and in response to measuring the capacitance, a determination is made of the presence of first DNA amplicons in the DNA sample. Typically, a number of thermocycles are performed and capacitance measurements are made after each cycle, so that an amplicon growth rate can be determined.

Abstract: The present invention relates to assays that employ an enzyme label or tag that acts on a substrate by obtaining electrons from an electrode (electrocatalysis) and an apparatus for use in such assays. In particular the present invention provides an assay and apparatus for multiple or continuous monitoring of the amount of analyte in a sample or sample source without requiring regeneration of the measuring electrode or its associated reagents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus to perform reagent-free assays, which apparatus utilizes an all solid probe having an enzyme label that acts on a substrate by obtaining electrons directly from the electrode by bioelectrocatalysis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to assays that employ an enzyme label or tag that acts on a substrate by obtaining electrons from an electrode (electrocatalysis) and an apparatus for use in such assays. In particular the present invention provides an assay and apparatus for multiple or continuous monitoring of the amount of analyte in a sample or sample source without requiring regeneration of the measuring electrode or its associated reagents.