Abstract: The invention relates to the field of microbiology. Provided is a method which is particularly powerful for High Throughput Screening (HTS) purposes. More specific a high throughput method for determining heterogeneity or interactions of microorganisms is provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a biochip (5) comprising a porous support (10), wherein the porous support (10) comprises at least one surface coated with a coating, preferably a polymer coating (20), wherein the coating is patterned with a micro compartments (25) pattern, with the support providing a bottom surface to the compartments and the coating providing edges to the compartments, and wherein the pattern comprises at least 400 compartments per mm2. The biochip (5) can be obtained by a process comprising providing a porous support (10); coating at least one surface of the support with a coating (20); arranging between the coated surface and an ion etching device a shadow mask with a predetermined hole pattern; and ion etching at least part of the coating such that a patterned coating with micro compartments (25) is obtained.

Abstract: Solid porous supports find use in array analysis, as they offer high surface area for contacting the analyzed sample. The present invention provides a solid porous support suitable for array analysis having first and second surfaces, and comprising channels extending from said first surface to said second surface, characterised in that at least one conductive material is applied to predefined regions on said first surface and/or on said second surface and/or inside the channels contained within said solid porous support. Such conductive material(s) may form a high-precision grid delineating physically distinct compartments within the support and thus reduce the risk of cross-contamination in array analysis. Additionally, such conductive material(s) may directly participate in reactions performed on the array by means of their electrical and/or thermal conductivity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the manufacture of a masked solid support suitable for array analysis comprising the steps of: (i) providing a solid porous support suitable for array analysis having first and second surfaces, said solid porous support having channels extending from said first surface to said second surface; (ii) depositing at a predefined area on said porous solid support a polymeric material to said first surface, said polymeric material comprising a co-solvent so as to temporarily decrease the viscosity and/or rate of polymerisation of the polymeric material during the step of depositing; (iii) allowing said polymeric material to enter said channels of said solid porous support; (iv) removing said co-solvent by contacting said first surface with a wash solution and extracting the co-solvent/wash solution through said channels so as to restore the polymerisation rate of the polymer material within said channels, whereby a mask on said solid support is formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of devices for studying behaviour of motile living organisms in a multiplexed array format. The present invention provides devices comprising a solid porous support having first and second surfaces, said first surface comprising an agent and/or condition delineating behavioural and/or physical barriers for motile living organisms, and, where behavioural, said barriers adapted for sensing by said living organisms and hence forcing said living organisms to remain localized within a predefined region of said support. In addition the invention provides methods for screening test molecules or effector molecules which affect behaviour, motility and/or health of a motile living organism.

Abstract: The present invention relates methods for screening of cellular responses comprising: (a) providing a solid porous support having first and second surfaces and at least one area with a plurality of through-going channels (b) providing cellular components on said first and/or second surface of said solid porous support, wherein said solid porous support retains said cellular compounds on its surface; (c) providing a supply chamber at said first and/or second surface and opposite to said cellular components (d) subjecting all or part of said cellular components to one or more effectors; wherein at least one effector is delivered from said supply chamber through the porous support; (e) incubating the said all or part of cellular components with said effectors under conditions allowing the induction of cellular responses in the said all or part of cellular components; (f) optionally providing detector molecules to the said all or part of cellular components for assaying cellular responses (g) assaying for cellula

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for screening of cellular responses of cellular components comprising: (a) providing cellular components on the surface of a substrate, said substrate having immobilized thereon an array of detector molecules; (b) delivering test compounds to positions on the substrate corresponding to the arrayed detector molecules on the surface of said solid substrate; (c) incubating said test compounds with said cellular components on the surface of the solid support, under conditions allowing the induction of cellular responses; (d) assaying said cellular responses; and, identifying and characterizing the cellular responses induced by said test compounds. The present invention further relates to the uses of said methods as well as microarrays and kits for carrying out said methods.