Abstract: Microfluidic devices for modeling three-dimensional tissue structures and methods for making and using the same are described herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides devices and systems for use at the point of care. The methods devices of the invention are directed toward automatic detection of analytes in a bodily fluid. The components of the device are modular to allow for flexibility and robustness of use with the disclosed methods for a variety of medical applications.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating biological samples disposed on substrates, including: an input buffer for receiving one or more substrate holders each being adapted to support a plurality of the substrates; a treatment zone including a plurality of treatment stations each being adapted to receive one of the substrates; a reagent dispenser configured by a controller to dispense reagents to the substrates at the treatment stations; a substrate transport device configured by the controller to transport individual substrates between the substrate holders in the input buffer and the treatment stations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to moving microorganisms to a surface, where they are grown in the presence and absence of antimicrobials, and by monitoring the growth of the microorganisms over time in the two conditions, their susceptibility to the antimicrobials can be determined. The microorganisms can be moved to the surface through electrophoresis, centrifugation or filtration. When the movement involves electrophoresis, the presence of oxidizing and reducing reagents lowers the voltage at which electrophoretic force can be generated and allows a broader range of means by which the target can be detected. Monitoring can comprise optical detection, and most conveniently includes the detection of individual microorganisms. The microorganisms can be stained in order to give information about their response to antimicrobials.

Abstract: An immunoassay test slide for use in a dry chemistry analytical instrument includes a slide housing or case formed from two matable sections—a slide cover piece and a slide bottom piece. The slide housing defines an interior cavity in which is situated a sheet-like porous carrier matrix. The slide cover piece has an opening formed through the thickness thereof to expose a central portion of the fluid flow matrix so that a precise volume of fluid sample of blood, serum or the like, preferably pre-mixed with a conjugate reagent, and precise volumes of a wash reagent and a substrate (detector reagent), may be deposited on the matrix through the cover opening by a metering device of the analytical instrument. The bottom piece of the immunoassay test slide is transparent, and the slide is moved by a transport mechanism of the analytical instrument over a reflectometer or a fluorometer for performing reflectance or fluorescence measurements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a biosensor and an application of the same. The biosensor includes a substrate, a first polymer layer and a second polymer layer. The first polymer layer includes composite antibodies, each of which includes a first antibody and a labelling molecule. The second polymer layer has an inverse opal photonic crystal structure where gold nanoparticles and second antibodies are distributed. At least one of the composite antibodies, an antigen and at least one of the second antibodies forms a complex in the second polymer layer, and an antigen concentration is obtained by a fluorescence intensity, a degree of red-shift or a change in a visual color of the biosensor.

Abstract: Certain embodiments are directed to a paper hybrid microfluidic microplate. In certain aspects, the hybrid microfluidic microplate is a low-cost, sensitive, and fast diagnostic apparatus for detecting pathogens, diagnosing disease and other bio-applications, especially for low-resource settings.

Abstract: A microfluidic biochip for detecting disease antigens using gold nano interdigitated electrode circuit under a controlled self-driven flow condition is disclosed. The biochip incorporates hydrophilic microchannels for controlled self-driven flow and gold nano interdigitated electrodes for capacitive sensing with enhanced sensitivity. The biochip's microchannel has a surface treated with oxygen plasma to control microchannel surface hydrophilicity and flow rate of the biofluid sample. Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are utilized as an intermediate layer to enhance the binding capability to nano electrodes to enhance sensitivity. Due to the carboxylic groups of the CNTs, covalent bond binding between the antibodies and the CNTs allows the antibodies to adhere more readily on the surface of the electrodes. The quantity of antibodies attaching to the surface is increased due to the high surface to area ratio in CNTs.

Abstract: Certain embodiments are directed to an ultrasensitive poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) ELISA microfluidic microplate, where the protein is covalently bound to a poly-lysine modified or carboxylated PMMA surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides micro-array devices for capturing cells in blood and methods of their use. In some aspects, a method for counting cells in a blood sample is provided, the method comprising applying a blood sample onto a CNT device; allowing cells in the blood sample to differentially settle on the CNT device, and identifying and counting cells of preselected type in the blood sample.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to in vivo collection of circulating molecules, tumor cells and other biological markers using a collecting probe. The probe is configured for placement within a living organism for an extended period of time to provide sufficient yield of biological marker for analysis.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for extending the dynamic range of assay methods and systems used for determining the concentration of analyte molecules or particles in a fluid sample. In some embodiments, a method comprises spatially segregating a plurality of analyte molecules in a fluid sample into a plurality of locations. At least a portion of the locations may be addressed to determine the percentage of said locations containing at least one analyte molecule. Based at least in part on the percentage, a measure of the concentration of analyte molecules in the fluid sample may be determined using an analog, intensity-based detection/analysis method/system and/or a digital detection/analysis method/system. In some cases, the assay may comprise the use of a plurality of capture objects.

Abstract: Described herein are biosensor microarrays comprising detector polypeptide monolayers substantially free of contaminants. Also provided are methods for generation of such biosensor microarrays by capture of polypeptides by arrays comprising capture moieties and associated sensors.

Abstract: A sample plate comprising a sample well is disclosed. The sample well can comprise one or more bead retaining chambers. Also provided herein is a method of using the sample plate and kits comprising the sample plate.

Abstract: Arrays and substrates comprising a material, in particular capture agents and/or detectable targets, attached to the substrates along substantially parallel lines forming a barcoded pattern and related methods and systems.

Abstract: A point of care testing assay system for determining the presence and/or amount of an analyte of interest in a sample, and methods for using such assay system, are disclosed. The system comprises a microfiuidic means capable of performing testing with low sample volume in a sample matrix, and having high sensitivity and substantially a 5-log wide dynamic range and capable of performing an assay in approximately fifteen minutes, and in which the microfiuidic means comprises a microfiuidic testing cartridge with associated electronics, a precision pipettor, a high sensitivity detection module, a motion stage, and an on-board electronics display means that can be read by a user as an indication of the presence and/or amount of the analyte in the sample.

Abstract: The invention describes generating and use of a multi-layer plasmonic slide, wherein the plasmonic slide comprises at least 6 layers of metallic nanoparticles that can enhance the detection of fluorescent signals and wherein the plasmonic slide can be printed as a microarray of any size. The microarray containing the plasmonic slide can further be printed with a protein, a glycan, or an antibody. The multi-layer plasmonic slide is capable of detecting proteins, polynucleotides, and/or glycans at orders of magnitude lower concentration than non-plasmonic substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides devices and systems for use at the point of care. The methods devices of the invention are directed toward automatic detection of analytes in a bodily fluid. The components of the device are modular to allow for flexibility and robustness of use with the disclosed methods for a variety of medical applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting an analyte in a sample, comprising the steps of: forming on each of carrier particles a complex containing a first capture substance capable of binding to an analyte, one molecule of the analyte, a second capture substance capable of binding to the analyte, and a catalyst; immobilizing a reaction product on each of the carrier particles by reacting the catalyst in the complex with a substrate; and detecting the analyte by detecting the carrier particles on each of which the reaction product is immobilized.

Abstract: An analysis device includes a turntable, an optical pickup, and a controller. The turntable holds a specimen analysis disc having reaction regions on which nanoparticles binding to substances to be detected are captured. The optical pickup emits laser light to each reaction region, receives a reflected light from each reaction region, and generates a light reception level signal. The controller sequentially generates a plurality of measurement gate signals for counting the number of the nanoparticles captured on each reaction region, counts the number of the nanoparticles of each of the measurement gate signals based on the light reception level signal, specifies a measurement gate section in each reaction region according to a measurement result per measurement gate signal, and adds up the number of the nanoparticles of the respective measurement gate signals in the measurement gate section.