Abstract: Provided is a method for detecting the degree of toxicity of toxic materials within a sample. The method includes contacting sub-mitochondrial particles having competent mitochondrial enzyme formed from the inner membranes of mitochondria, an electron donor which transmits electrons to the electron transfer system of the sub-mitochondrial particles, and a sample which will be tested; adding tris-2,2?-bipyridyl-ruthenium (II) ion to the reaction mixture; and measuring electrical variables of the reaction mixture. Also, provided is an apparatus and kit for detecting the presence of toxic materials within a sample.

Abstract: A handheld centrifuge includes an inertia body having an axle and a pair of inertia wheels coupled to the axle. The inertia wheels are coupled to the axle in substantially perpendicular direction to the axle, and spaced apart from each other. A string is connected to the axle. At least one closed vessel is detachably installed on an outer face of the inertia wheel to contain a substance to be centrifuged. The closed vessel is installed in substantially radial direction of the inertia wheel.

Abstract: Provided is a method of isolating and purifying biomolecules using a hydrogel, the method including: bring a sample containing charged biomolecules into contact with a hydrogel to bind the biomolecules to the hydrogel; washing the hydrogel bound with the biomolecules; and eluting the bound biomolecules using an elution solvent. According to the method, the use of a hydrogel with a large surface area reduces the isolation time of biomolecules to 5 min or less, an external device such as an electromagnet is not required, and small-sized systems or LOC can be easily implemented due to applicability to microsystems through a polymer patterning technique.

Abstract: A method for identifying a biomolecule using a biomolecule detector having a field effect transistor (FET) is provided. The method comprises the steps of (a) heating a sample containing a biomolecule loaded in the detector to thereby elevate the temperature of the sample; (b) measuring electric current flowing through a channel formed between a source region and a drain region in the FET while raising the temperature in the step (a); (c) obtaining a transition temperature that is the temperature at maximum point of current variation from data measured in the step (b); and (d) identifying the biomolecule using the transition temperature obtained in the step (c).

Abstract: Provided is a method of lysing a cell or a virus using a free radical. The method includes: applying an electric field to a mixture of a metal ion, a peroxide, and a cell or virus solution to increase the free radical generation, thereby lysing a cell or a virus. In the present method, cell lysis may be efficiently performed using a low electrical energy (several mV to several V). When the present method is applied to a microsystem, cell lysis can occur at a desired time and in a desired space by controlling the electrical energy, thus being suitable to realize a lab-on-a-chip (LOC).

Abstract: A method and a device for detecting nucleic acid are disclosed, wherein impurities in a sample can be easily removed.. The method comprises injecting a sample containing an adsorption medium with nucleic adsorbed thereon into a chamber; washing the sample; heating the sample to denature the nucleic acid; cooling down; and detecting nucleic acid by using the biomolecule detection device. The device includes: a source and a drain region; a gate electrode layer; a chamber formed over the semiconductor substrate including the gate electrode layer; and a heating means, wherein a gate adsorption layer to which a nucleic acid is adsorbed is formed on the gate electrode layer. A single-stranded nucleic acid is adsorbed to the gate adsorption layer, and a channel is formed between the source and the drain region. The current in the channel provides a basis to detect a gene.

Abstract: A biomolecule detector and a method thereof are provided to detect the biomolecules in a liquid sample using a field effect transistor (FET) array. The FET array is characterized in that the transistor used has no gate electrode layer, a reference electrode is provided in the space between the transistors in the array instead of the gate electrode layer. Using the FET array, the existence of the biomolecules in the sample can be detected electrically and effectively under the circumstance where an external voltage is applied to flow the biomolecules. Using the FET array to detect the biomolecules, the deviation for each transistor is reduced and the multiplex processing is also possible to measure the plurality of analyzing samples at the same time.

Abstract: A device for detecting biomolecules includes: a semiconductor substrate; a source region and a drain region separately provided at the substrate; a chamber formed at the substrate including a region between the source region and the drain region, the chamber configured to contain a sample including the biomolecules; and an electrode which applies a voltage to the sample in the chamber. The biomolecules are mobile with respect to the electrode and sample. Methods for detecting biomolecules are also disclosed.

Abstract: A micro PCR device comprising an amplification chamber is provided. The amplification chamber has an inner surface coated with a polycationic polymer or a polyanionic polymer and includes electrodes.

Abstract: A carbon nanotube (“CNT”) gas sensor includes a substrate, an insulating layer formed on the substrate, electrodes formed on the insulating layer, and CNT barriers that protrude higher than the electrodes in spaces between the electrodes to form gas detecting spaces. A method of manufacturing the gas sensor includes forming an insulating layer on a substrate, forming an electrode pattern on the insulating layer, coating CNT paste having a thickness greater than a thickness of electrodes in the electrode pattern on the electrodes and the insulating layer, and patterning and firing the carbon nanotube paste, including using a photolithography method, to retain only portions of the CNT paste coated on spaces between the electrodes.

Abstract: Provided is a micro PCR device. The micro PCR device includes a PCR chamber having electrodes. First primers of PCR primer sets are immobilized on the surfaces of the electrodes and second primers labeled with nanoparticles of the PCR primer sets are added to the PCR chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of isolating a nucleic acid from a microorganism cell. The method comprises contacting a nonplanar solid substrate with a cell-containing sample in a liquid medium having a pH of 3.0 to 6.0 so that the microorganism cell is bound to the nonplanar solid substrate, and lysing the microorganism cell bound to the nonplanar solid substrate. The invention also relates a device including the nonplanar solid substrate for isolating and amplifying a nucleic acid.

Abstract: Provided are a primer set selected from the group consisting of primers having nucleotide sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NOS: 1–40, a method for detecting hepatitis B virus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the primer set, and a hepatitis B virus detection kit including the primer set.

Abstract: A novel electrically conductive polymer, a sensor using the electrically conductive polymer, and a method for detecting a target molecule that hybridizes to a probe, using the sensor, are provided. The electrically conductive polymer has the following formula: where m is 1, 2, or 3; R is a hydroxysuccinimidyl group, a hydroxyphthalimidyl group, or a pentafluorophenolyl group; and n is zero or an integer.

Abstract: Provided is a method and device for separating a cell from a sample. The method comprises contacting a nonplanar solid substrate with a cell-containing sample in a liquid medium having a pH of 3.0 to 6.0.

Abstract: Provided is a method of amplifying nucleic acid from a comprising: contacting a cell-containing sample with a nonplanar solid substrate in a liquid medium having a pH range of 3.0-6.0 to attach the cell to the solid substrate; washing the nonplanar solid substrate to remove materials that are not attached thereto; and performing PCR using the nucleic acid from the cell attached to the nonplanar solid substrate as a template sample to amplify nucleic acid from the cell, wherein the contacting, washing and PCR processes are performed in a single vessel.

Abstract: A method of separating microorganisms from a sample includes introducing a sample into an apparatus which controls a concentration of at least one salt, the apparatus includes a reaction chamber defined between a cation exchange membrane and an anion exchange membrane, a first electrode chamber defined between the anion exchange membrane and a first electrode, the first electrode chamber containing a first ion exchange medium, a second electrode chamber defined between the cation exchange membrane and a second electrode, the second electrode chamber containing a second ion exchange medium, applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode to electrodialyze the sample in the reaction chamber and reduce the concentration of the at least one salt in the sample and allowing the sample having the reduced concentration of the at least one salt to contact a microorganism capturing means.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a cell culture chip for monitoring a cell culture in real time and a method of monitoring the cell culture using the cell culture chip. The cell culture chip includes a cell culture chamber formed by side walls of a non-conductive material and a bottom layer of an insulating material and capable of accommodating a cell culture media. The cell culture chip also includes a semiconductor layer disposed under the bottom layer, a metal layer disposed under the semiconductor layer, and an electrode disposed in the cell culture chamber. The cell culture chip monitors both the states of cells attached to walls of the cell culture chamber and the states of cells floating in the cell culture media.

Abstract: A method of positively detecting toxic materials within a sample, the method including contacting sub-mitochondrial particles having competent mitochondrial enzymes formed from inner membranes of mitochondria, an electron donor which transmits electrons to an electron transfer system of the sub-mitochondrial particles and the sample, and forming reaction resultants, adjusting a pH of a pH indicator which change color according to a change in pH, adding the pH indicators to each reaction resultant and identifying color changes of the pH indicator. Also provided is a kit for positively detecting toxic materials within a sample.

Abstract: A robot vacuum cleaner having a microbe sensing function is provided. The robot vacuum cleaner includes: a cleaner body which automatically travels in an area to be cleaned; a suction unit which sucks dust in the area to be cleaned into a specific space included in the cleaner body; a microbe contamination sensor which detects a microbe contamination in the area to be cleaned; and a sterilizing unit which sterilizes a corresponding portion according to a microbe contamination measuring signal generated from the microbe contamination sensor. Accordingly, a robot vacuum cleaner directly measures a level of microbe contamination to perform a sterilizing operation according to the result obtained from measurement. As a result, the sterilizing operation is performed sufficiently in a severely contaminated area, the sterilizing operation is performed in a general manner in other areas, and thus a cleaning operation can be rapidly carried out.