Abstract: A biosensing platform capable of high throughput mechanochemical biosensing comprising a DNA origami nanostructure having a plurality of slots into which recognition elements are strategically placed and apparatus that senses a change in the origami nanostructure in response to the introduction of a target where the apparatus includes a signal transduction unit and signal sensor which exploits mechanical signals in a recognition element which signal includes one or more mechanical tension or mechanochemical rearrangement event. The nanostructure is preferably a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional arrangement of tiles linked by locking elements, such as aptamers that will open in response to an event such as exposure to a drug molecule, DNA, RNA or protein target.

Abstract: A single-molecule mechanoanalytical real-time sensing device (SMART) comprising a molecular trawl and a DNA stem-loop structure that serves as a molecular dipstick, said trawl and said DNA stem-loop structure anchored by handles to two optically-trapped bead templates; said molecular trawl comprising multiple analyte recognition elements that exist in each of two separate DNA (pair) strands that act as two pincers, said pincers each having a nucleobase capable of catching an analyte in a media; said DNA stem-loop structure comprising a plurality of nucleotides in said loop and multiple base pairs in said stem; and wherein said DNA stem-loop is located generally opposite to said molecular trawl that is capable of reporting an amount of bound analyte target via mechanochemical transient events.

Abstract: A single-molecule mechanoanalytical real-time sensing device (SMART) comprising a molecular trawl and a DNA stem-loop structure that serves as a molecular dipstick, said trawl and said DNA stem-loop structure anchored by handles to two optically-trapped bead templates; said molecular trawl comprising multiple analyte recognition elements that exist in each of two separate DNA (pair) strands that act as two pincers, said pincers each having a nucleobase capable of catching an analyte in a media; said DNA stem-loop structure comprising a plurality of nucleotides in said loop and multiple base pairs in said stem; and wherein said DNA stem-loop is located generally opposite to said molecular trawl that is capable of reporting an amount of bound analyte target via mechanochemical transient events.

Abstract: A biosensing platform capable of high throughput mechanochemical biosensing comprising a DNA origami nanostructure having a plurality of slots into which recognition elements are strategically placed and apparatus that senses a change in the origami nanostructure in response to the introduction of a target where the apparatus includes a signal transduction unit and signal sensor which exploits mechanical signals in a recognition element which signal includes one or more mechanical tension or mechanochemical rearrangement event. The nanostructure is preferably a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional arrangement of tiles linked by locking elements, such as aptamers that will open in response to an event such as exposure to a drug molecule, DNA, RNA or protein target.

Abstract: A device for detecting Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) and associated methods has been described. The stochastic behavior of a single-molecule probe is utilized to recognize wild type and SNP sequences in a microfluidic platform using a laser-tweezers instrument. The mechanical signal provides substantially noise free sensing with high sensitivity and the selectivity. The method has an inherent capacity to develop as a generic biosensor using other recognition elements such as aptamer for example.

Abstract: Polymers that undergo a reversible phase change in response to being exposed to a light from a laser having a radiation pressure greater than a threshold level. The phase changeable polymers have the ability to reduce the intensity of the laser and can advantageously scatter laser light incident on the polymers. The on-off response of such polymers is in the microsecond range and the light scattering property is independent of laser wavelength. The polymers can beneficially be incorporated into devices to protect human vision and optical instruments that are vulnerable to lasers at high intensities. Methods for making and using such devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present system and methods allow for low level detection of as little as single pathogen particles, such as viral or bacterial particles, during the early stage of infection. An optical trapping system, such as laser tweezers, are used to trap a substrate to which an analyte has been bound to detect and record the thermal motion of an antibody-antigen interaction that may occur between an anti-viral antibody-coated microsphere and a viral particle for example. The system may be equipped with a detection system such as a position sensitive photodetector (PSD) to record the thermal motion of a trapped microsphere and particle at a certain frequency. The thermal motion data may be Fourier transformed into a power spectrum, which may be transformed into an output value using a Lorentzian equation. The power spectrum of the trapped microsphere may be recorded before and after binding of the pathogenic particle to determine the presence thereof.

Abstract: Polymers that undergo a reversible phase change in response to being exposed to a light from a laser having a radiation pressure greater than a threshold level. The phase changeable polymers have the ability to reduce the intensity of the laser and can advantageously scatter laser light incident on the polymers. The on-off response of such polymers is in the microsecond range and the light scattering property is independent of laser wavelength. The polymers can beneficially be incorporated into devices to protect human vision and optical instruments that are vulnerable to lasers at high intensities. Methods for making and using such devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for providing a linear temperature gradient to an architecture suitable for massively parallel chemical or biochemical processing. The architecture is disposed on a substrate. The apparatus uses two temperature elements disposed essentially parallel to each other and in thermal contact with the substrate. When the temperature elements are held at different temperatures, a linear temperature gradient is formed in the substrate.