Abstract: Disclosed is a screening method for detecting cells producing binding agents, including Monoclonal Antibodies, which bind to particular antigens on cells or organisms such that, when the binding agents are bound to said antigens, a nanoshell or metal colloid coupled to the binding agents is capable, upon illumination with a laser or other light source, of killing the cells or organisms. Samples of binding agent-producing cells, which have been subject to limiting dilution so that there is about one cell per well, are placed into the wells of a microtiter plate. Cells or organisms to be killed are added to the wells, as are nanoshells or metal colloids which are treated in a manner appropriate to permit coupling to the binding agents. The wells are illuminated with a light source capable of heating the nanoshells or metal colloids, and the wells containing killed cells or organisms are detected.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of screening Compounds wherein target cells are coated onto a population of microbeads, and wherein each microbead is coated with several cells of the same cellular type and has an assay and an assay reporter associated with it. Each of the cell-coated microbeads are positioned in a well formed in one end of a fiber which is part of an array of optical fibers, and the microbeads are contacted with the compounds. The results of the assay associated with a microbead are reported to the distal end of the fiber, and each fiber in the array so reports.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of generating human monoclonal antibodies suitable as therapeutic candidates from a pool of human peripheral blood lymphocytes extracted from a number of individuals who have all been exposed to the same disease antigen. Peripheral blood lymphocytes extracted from said individuals are immortalized, and a high throughput functional screening assay of the immortalized lymphocytes against target cells associated with or affected by the disease is peformed, in which the target cells are coated onto microbeads and placed in wells formed in one of the ends of a bundle of optical fibers, and wherein changes to the target cells resulting from the assay can be optically detected at the opposite end of the bundle. The immortalized lymphocytes producing human antibodies having specific, desired effects on the target cells, as determined by the assay are selected, grown, and the antibodies are further characterized, in order to select therapeutic candidate antibodies.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of screening binding molecules, including Monoclonal Antibodies, using an optical fiber array device. Target cells are coated onto a population of microbeads, wherein each microbead is coated with several cells of the same cellular type and has an assay and an assay reporter associated with it. Each of the cell-coated microbeads is positioned in a particular well formed in one end of a particular fiber in an array of optical fibers. The microbeads are contacted with binding molecules, and the results of an assay associated with a microbead are reported to the distal end of the array of fibers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of screening Compounds wherein target cells are coated onto a population of microbeads, and wherein each microbead is coated with several cells of the same cellular type and has an assay and an assay reporter associated with it. Each of the cell-coated microbeads are positioned in a well formed in one end of a fiber which is part of an array of optical fibers, and the microbeads are contacted with the compounds. The results of the assay associated with a microbead are reported to the distal end of the fiber, and each fiber in the array so reports.

Abstract: Disclosed is a screening method for detecting cells producing binding agents, including Monoclonal Antibodies, which bind to particular antigens on cells or organisms such that, when the binding agents are bound to said antigens, a nanoshell or metal colloid coupled to the binding agents is capable, upon illumination with a laser or other light source, of killing the cells or organisms. Samples of binding agent-producing cells, which have been subject to limiting dilution so that there is about one cell per well, are placed into the wells of a microtiter plate. Cells or organisms to be killed are added to the wells, as are nanoshells or metal colloids which are treated in a manner appropriate to permit coupling to the binding agents. The wells are illuminated with a light source capable of heating the nanoshells or metal colloids, and the wells containing killed cells or organisms are detected.

Abstract: Disclosed is an assay device, having at least one optical fiber array with wells etched in one end of each of the fibers, and several microbeads adapted to be coated with cells of the same cellular type, wherein the microbeads are designed to be accommodated, one in each well, and wherein the microbeads are encoded to indicate which cellular type it is coated with. Each microbead has at least one assay reporter associated with it, wherein the assay reporter can be detected at the distal end of the optical fiber array. A charge coupled device can be positioned at the distal end of the fibers to record the assay images.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of screening binding molecules, including Monoclonal Antibodies, using an optical fiber array device. Target cells are coated onto a population of microbeads, wherein each microbead is coated with several cells of the same cellular type and has an assay and an assay reporter associated with it. Each of the cell-coated microbeads is positioned in a particular well formed in one end of a particular fiber in an array of optical fibers. The microbeads are contacted with binding molecules, and the results of an assay associated with a microbead are reported to the distal end of the array of fibers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of generating human monoclonal antibodies suitable as therapeutic candidates from a pool of human peripheral blood lymphocytes extracted from a number of individuals who have all been exposed to the same disease antigen. Peripheral blood lymphocytes extracted from said individuals are immortalized, and a high throughput functional screening assay of the immortalized lymphocytes against target cells associated with or affected by the disease is peformed, in which the target cells are coated onto microbeads and placed in wells formed in one of the ends of a bundle of optical fibers, and wherein changes to the target cells resulting from the assay can be optically detected at the opposite end of the bundle. The immortalized lymphocytes producing human antibodies having specific, desired effects on the target cells, as determined by the assay are selected, grown, and the antibodies are further characterized, in order to select therapeutic candidate antibodies.