Abstract: Sample preparation can be a tedious and time consuming task. For example, MALDI imaging of tissue samples can require the tedious process of hand or robotically spotting solutions containing chemical species referred to as “matrix” onto a tissue sample prior its mass spectral analysis. Provided is a process for preparing a sample comprising immersing a solid support that has a surface comprising a first part that is more hydrophilic than a second part into a target compound solution, wherein the target compound is deposited primarily onto the more hydrophilic part; and/or applying and evaporating the target compound solution onto the substrate to produce the pre-coated substrate. A tissue or other sample may then be placed on the substrate for analysis.

Abstract: The present invention makes available methods and reagents for forming support-bound probes, particularly surface bound arrays of molecules, such as nucleic acids, peptides, proteins, small molecules, or other compounds of interest. The method generally involves providing an oligonucleotide bound to the surface of a solid support, hybridizing to the oligonucleotide a complementary sequence covalently linked to a molecule of interest (such as a probe nucleic acid, a peptide, a protein, a small molecule, etc.), and forming a covalent bond between the complementary sequence and the oligonucleotide or the surface of the solid support.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new biopolymer resistant coatings for materials that come in contact with such molecules in solution. Additionally, the present invention discloses a process for the fabrication of these coatings, under mild and scaleable reaction conditions, from simple, low molecular weight molecular components. Furthermore, the present invention teaches a general conceptual strategy for the design of additional protein resistant coatings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of derivatizing semiconductor surfaces, particularly porous silicon surfaces with silicon-carbon units. The derivatization occurs through the direct addition of an organometallic reagent in the absence of an external energy source such as heat and photo- or electrochemical energies. The method of the invention allows the formation of unique intermediates including silicon hydride units bonded to metal ions. Because of these unique intermediates, it is possible to form previously inaccessible silicon-carbon units, for example where the carbon atom is an unsaturated carbon atom. Such inaccessible silicon-carbon units also include silicon-polymer covalent bond formation, in particular where the polymer is a conducting polymer. Thus, the present invention also provides a novel semiconductor surface/polymer junction having improved interfacial interactions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new biopolymer resistant coatings for materials that come in contact with such molecules in solution. Additionally, the present invention discloses a process for the fabrication of these coatings, under mild and scaleable reaction conditions, from simple, low molecular weight molecular components. Furthermore, the present invention teaches a general conceptual strategy for the design of additional protein resistant coatings.

Abstract: Self-assembly of a chemically insensitive redox material, such as ferrocenyl thiol, and a chemically sensitive redox material, such as a quinone thiol, onto microelectrodes forms the basis for a two-terminal, voltammetric microsensor having reference and sensor functions on the same electrode. Detection is based on measuring the potential difference of current peaks for oxidation and reduction of the reference (ferrocene) and indicator (quinone) in aqueous electrolyte in a two-terminal, linear sweep voltammogram using a counterelectrode of relatively large surface area. Use of microelectrodes modified with monolayer coverages of reference and indicator molecules minimizes the size of the counterelectrode and the perturbation of the solution interrogated. Key advantages are that the sensor requires no separate reference electrode and the sensor functions as long as current peaks can be located for reference and indicator molecules.