Abstract: The present invention relates to a device comprising a biomolecular processor. Each biomolecular processor has one or more bioreactor chambers defined by a solid substrate; a support structure within each bioreactor; a cleaving enzyme immobilized to the support structure and operatively positioned within the bioreactor chamber to cleave monomer or multimer units of a biopolymer molecule operatively engaged by the cleaving enzyme; and one or more time-of-flight channels formed in the solid substrate and fluidically coupled to said one or more bioreactor chambers. Each of the time-of-flight channels have two or more sensors including at least (i) a first sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the input end of the channel and (ii) a second sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the output end of channel. The present invention further relates to methods of sequencing and identifying biopolymer molecules using the device.

Abstract: Microdevices are disclosed to efficiently, accurately, and rapidly isolate and enumerate rare cells, such as circulating tumor cells, from liquids such as whole blood. The system employs multiple parallel meandering channels having a width on the order of 1-2 cell diameters. The microdevices can be produced at low-cost, may readily be automated, and in many instances may be used without pre-processing of the sample. They may be used to isolate and enumerate rare cells, including for example the detection and diagnosis of cancers, cancer staging, or evaluating the effectiveness of a therapeutic intervention, or detecting pathogenic bacteria. The device may optionally be used to nondestructively capture and later to release target cells.

Abstract: Microdevices are disclosed to efficiently, accurately, and rapidly isolate and enumerate rare cells, such as circulating tumor cells, from liquids such as whole blood, The system employs multiple parallel meandering channels having a width on the order of 1-2 cell diameters. The microdevices can be produced at low-cost, may readily be automated, and in many instances may be used without pre-processing of the sample. They may he used to isolate and enumerate rare cells, including for example the detection and diagnosis of cancers, cancer staging, or evaluating the effectiveness of a therapeutic intervention, or detecting pathogenic bacteria, The device may optionally he used to nondestructively capture and later to release target cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device comprising a biomolecular processor. Each biomolecular processor has one or more bioreactor chambers defined by a solid substrate; a support structure within each bioreactor; a cleaving enzyme immobilized to the support structure and operatively positioned within the bioreactor chamber to cleave monomer or multimer units of a biopolymer molecule operatively engaged by the cleaving enzyme; and one or more time-of-flight channels formed in the solid substrate and fluidically coupled to said one or more bioreactor chambers. Each of the time-of-flight channels have two or more sensors including at least (i) a first sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the input end of the channel and (ii) a second sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the output end of channel. The present invention further relates to methods of sequencing and identifying biopolymer molecules using the device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device comprising a biomolecular processor. Each biomolecular processor has one or more bioreactor chambers defined by a solid substrate; a support structure within each bioreactor; a cleaving enzyme immobilized to the support structure and operatively positioned within the bioreactor chamber to cleave monomer or multimer units of a biopolymer molecule operatively engaged by the cleaving enzyme; and one or more time-of-flight channels formed in the solid substrate and fluidically coupled to said one or more bioreactor chambers. Each of the time-of-flight channels have two or more sensors including at least (i) a first sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the input end of the channel and (ii) a second sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the output end of channel. The present invention further relates to methods of sequencing and identifying biopolymer molecules using the device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device comprising a biomolecular processor. Each biomolecular processor has one or more bioreactor chambers defined by a solid substrate; a support structure within each bioreactor; a cleaving enzyme immobilized to the support structure and operatively positioned within the bioreactor chamber to cleave monomer or multimer units of a biopolymer molecule operatively engaged by the cleaving enzyme; and one or more time-of-flight channels formed in the solid substrate and fluidically coupled to said one or more bioreactor chambers. Each of the time-of-flight channels have two or more sensors including at least (i) a first sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the input end of the channel and (ii) a second sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the output end of channel. The present invention further relates to methods of sequencing and identifying biopolymer molecules using the device.

Abstract: Short peptides containing C?,?-dipropylglycine (Dpg) at alternating sequence positions were synthesized and examined for conformational behavior. Peptide assembly was performed using Fmoc-solid-phase chemistry where the coupling with PyAOP could be significantly enhanced at elevated temperature. Circular dichroism (CD) and NMR conformational studies revealed that incorporation of Dpg residues induced folded structures into peptides. It was observed that Dpg residues adopted helical conformation in a helix-promoting sequence. The resulting helical structure was comprised of consecutive ?-turns whose structure was stabilized by salt bridge in aqueous solution. In this study, the preparation of sterically and polyfunctional C?,?-disubstituted amino acids (??AAs) via alkylation of ethyl nitroacetate and transformation into derivatives ready for incorporation into peptides are described.