Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for isothermal nucleic acid amplification and detection.

Abstract: A reflective diffractometric hydrogel sensor includes an upper layer, including a microfluidic chamber formed from a substantially transparent material and configured to contain a solution, a reflective diffraction grating positioned within the microfluidic chamber, the diffraction grating including a plurality of hydrogel strips configured to change in dimension in response to a stimulus, each hydrogel strip having a top surface coated with a reflective material and a bottom surface in contact with the upper layer substrate, and a reflective surface below the reflective diffraction grating wherein when a coherent light is incident upon and reflected from the upper layer at an angle substantially normal to the upper layer an interference diffraction pattern results, including a first diffraction mode, a light intensity of which indicates the relative distance between the top surfaces of the plurality of hydrogel strips and the reflective surface.

Abstract: A reflective diffractometric hydrogel sensor includes an upper layer, including a microfluidic chamber formed from a substantially transparent material and configured to contain a solution, a reflective diffraction grating positioned within the microfluidic chamber, the diffraction grating including a plurality of hydrogel strips configured to change in dimension in response to a stimulus, each hydrogel strip having a top surface coated with a reflective material and a bottom surface in contact with the upper layer substrate, and a reflective surface below the reflective diffraction grating wherein when a coherent light is incident upon and reflected from the upper layer at an angle substantially normal to the upper layer an interference diffraction pattern results, including a first diffraction mode, a light intensity of which indicates the relative distance between the top surfaces of the plurality of hydrogel strips and the reflective surface.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions and methods for the detection of specific targets on a surface that includes one or more peptides and one or more oligonucleotides connected by a joint to a detectable marker, wherein the joint between the peptides, the oligonucleotides or both the peptides and oligonucleotides are immobilized.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided to use regulatable aptazymes for controlling gene expression and in assays to detect the presence of ligands or to detect activation by an effector of an aptazyme bound to a solid support such as a substrate or multi-well plate. Regulatable aptazymes are ribozymes that are allosterically regulated by an effector molecule. Also disclosed are compositions and methods for automating the selection procedures of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention concerns chimeric cancer therapeutic molecules comprising a targeting moiety and an anti-cell proliferation moiety. The anti-cell proliferation moiety may comprise a cytotoxic agent or an apoptosis-inducing factor, in specific embodiments. In particular embodiments, the anti-cell proliferation mechanism of the chimeric molecules comprises apoptotic pathways. In additional embodiments, the chimeric molecules of the present invention provide sensitivity to chemotherapy in a cell that is resistant to the chemotherapy.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions, methods and systems for analyzing one or more cell characteristics including the steps of depositing one or more spots on a substrate that include one or more cells from a strain collection, contacting the one or more cells with one or more agents and evaluating optically effect of the agent on the one or more cells.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions and methods of selecting functional genetic elements that includes selecting in vivo an autogene operon with one or more mutagenized functional genetic elements and one or more selectable elements, wherein survival of the autogene depends on expression of the one or more mutagenized functional genetic elements and one or more selectable elements.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of selecting aptamer beacons in vitro using single-stranded nucleic acid species comprising a fluorphore and a random region of N nucleotides. The single-stranded nucleic acid species are annealed to a capture oligonucleotide comprising an F1 quenching moiety. Aptamer beacons are eluted using a target ligand or analyte to interact with the captured single-stranded nucleic acid species to release it from the capture oligonucleotide. Those selected single-stranded nucleic acid species comprise aptamer beacons. Also provided are the aptamer beacons so selected and methods of detecting a ligand in solution using selected aptamer beacons.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of transducing the conformational change undergone by a signaling aptamer upon binding a ligand to a differential signal generated by a reporter molecule. Also provided is a method of detecting and quantitating a ligand in solution using an aptamer conjugated to a fluorescent dye (signaling aptamer) to bind to the ligand and measuring the resultant optical signal generated.