Abstract: The present invention provides compositions for making and methods of using a hand-held nucleic acid amplification device, comprising a disposable biochip with a series of sample wells, each sample well having a novel optical arrangement that includes a light-emitting diode (LED) and a single light capturing element (e.g. a photodiode) for quickly measuring light emissions from biological samples such as nucleic acid amplification reactions. Such a device can utilize isothermal amplification for obtaining detectable yields of amplified nucleic acid product in short time periods, for example, within seconds.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions providing and methods using fluorescence detection device, comprising an electroluminescent light (EL) source, for measuring fluorescence in biological samples. In particularly preferred embodiments, the present invention provides an economical, battery powered and Hand-held device for detecting fluorescent light emitted from reporter molecules incorporated into DNA, RNA, proteins or other biological samples, such as a fluorescence emitting biological sample on a microarray chip. Further, a real-time hand-held PCR Analyzer device comprising an EL light source for measuring fluorescence emissions from amplified DNA is provided.