Abstract: We have performed separation of bacterial and cancer cells from peripheral human blood in microfabricated electronic chips by dielectrophoresis. The isolated cells were examined by staining the nuclei with fluorescent dye followed by laser induced fluorescence imaging. We have also released DNA and RNA from the isolated cells electronically and detected specific marker sequences by DNA amplification followed by electronic hybridization to immobilized capture probes. Efforts towards the construction of a “laboratory-on-a-chip” system are presented which involves the selection of DNA probes, dyes, reagents and prototyping of the fully integrated portable instrument.

Abstract: The invention provides arrays of immobilized probes, and methods employing the arrays, for detecting mutations in the biotransformation genes, such as cytochromes P450. For example, one such array comprises four probe sets. A first probe set comprises a plurality of probes, each probe comprising a segment of at least three nucleotides exactly complementary to a subsequence of a reference sequence from a biotransformation gene, the segment including at least one interrogation position complementary to a corresponding nucleotide in the reference sequence. Second, third and fourth probe sets each comprise a corresponding probe for each probe in the first probe set.

Abstract: The invention provides arrays of immobilized probes, and methods employing the arrays, for detecting mutations in the biotransformation genes, such as cytochromes P450. For example, one such array comprises four probe sets. A first probe set comprises a plurality of probes, each probe comprising a segment of at least three nucleotides exactly complementary to a subsequence of a reference sequence from a biotransformation gene, the segment including at least one interrogation position complementary to a corresponding nucleotide in the reference sequence. Second, third and fourth probe sets each comprise a corresponding probe for each probe in the first probe set.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions and methods useful in the detection of nucleic acids using a variety of amplification techniques, including both signal amplification and target amplification. Detection proceeds through the use of an electron transfer moiety (ETM) that is associated with the nucleic acid, either directly or indirectly, to allow electronic detection of the ETM using an electrode.