Abstract: This invention relates to a method of making a composition comprising a colloid comprising particles having a colloidal silica core and a shell, said method comprising the steps of: simultaneously introducing into a vessel a first liquid stream containing silica core particles, a second liquid stream containing a polymer having amine functionalities; and a third liquid stream having a pH adjusting substance such that said vessel is maintained at a pH below 6.0, and followed by readjusting the pH of the colloid to a pH between about 7-10; the addition of a cross-linking reagent, and adjusting the pH of the colloid to approximately physiological conditions, wherein the core-shell colloid contains between 10 and 30 ?mol amine-monomer/m2 core surface area.

Abstract: A nanoparticulate imaging probe with an oxide core, a biocompatible polymeric shell covalently attached to the oxide core, a dye, and a cleavable spacer that covalently binds the dye to the probe. When the spacer is cleaved, the dye is liberated from the probe. The emissions of the dye are quenched when the dye is bound to the probe and not quenched when the dye is liberated from the probe. The spacer can be, for example, a peptide. The oxide core can be, for example, a silicon oxide core.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composition comprising a colloid which is stable under physiological pH and ionic strength, said colloid comprising particles having a silica core and a shell: a) wherein said shell comprises a cross-linked poly(ethylene)imine polymer having amine functionalities; b) wherein the particles have a volume-weighted mean particle size diameter of less than 200 nm, and c) wherein greater than 50% of said polymer in the colloid is bound to the core surfaces, wherein the polymer having amine functionalities has an average molecular weight less than 100,000 g/mol, the composition has a H of between 6 and 8; and d) wherein the colloid contains between 300 and 6000 .?mol amine-monomer/g core particles.

Abstract: A nanoparticulate imaging probe with an oxide core, a biocompatible polymeric shell covalently attached to the oxide core, a dye, and a cleavable spacer that covalently binds the dye to the probe. When the spacer is cleaved, the dye is liberated from the probe. The emissions of the dye are quenched when the dye is bound to the probe and not quenched when the dye is liberated from the probe. The spacer can be, for example, a peptide. The oxide core can be, for example, a silicon oxide core.

Abstract: There are disclosed colloids containing polymer-modified core-shell particle carrier. The described colloids containing core-shell nanoparticulate carrier particles wherein the shell contains a polymer having amine functionalities. The described carrier particles are stable under physiological conditions. The carriers can be bioconjugated with biological, pharmaceutical or diagnostic components.

Abstract: A coating composition for making a protein microarray, the composition comprising a gelling agent or a precursor to a gelling agent, and microspheres; the microspheres containing a dye represented by the Formula (1): wherein: R1=one or more substitutent selected from the group of H, chloro, alkoxycarbonyl, arylsulfamoyl, or alkylsulfamoyl; R2=one or more substituent selected from the group of H, carboxamido, or alkoxycarbonyl; R3=one or more substituent selected from the group of H, chloro, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, carboxamido, or alkoxycarbonyl.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of detecting nucleic acids comprising suspending at least one recognizable target nucleic acid in a suspending solution containing polymeric particles marked with a probe, wherein the probe has an affinity for the target nucleic acid, adding a recognition unit-peroxidase conjugate marker to the suspending solution, forming a complex of the polymeric particles marked with a probe, the target nucleic acid and the recognition unit-peroxidase conjugate marker, contacting the suspending solution with a gelatin surface, adding a developer to the suspending solution in contact with the gelatin surface in the presence of phenol to attach the complex to the gelatin surface, washing the gelatin surface, and detecting the complex attached to the gelatin surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of detecting biological analytes comprising suspending a target analyte in a suspending solution containing polymeric particles marked with a probe, wherein the probe has an affinity for said target analyte; adding recognition unit-peroxidase conjugate marker to the suspending solution; forming a complex of the target analyte, the polymeric particles marked with a probe, and the recognition unit-peroxidase conjugate marker; contacting a gelatin surface with the suspending solution; adding developer to the suspending solution in contact with the gelatin surface in the presence of phenol to attach the complex to the gelatin surface; washing the gelatin surface; and detecting the complex attached to the gelatin surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer particles comprising a polymer bead stabilized by vinylsulfonyl-functionalized polymers grafted to the surface of the bead, as well as a particle composition comprising monodisperse polymer beads stabilized by vinylsulfonyl-functionalized polymers, wherein the vinylsulfonyl-functionalized polymers are grafted to the surfaces of the beads. The invention also includes a method of preparing monodisperse polymer particles comprising preparing a homogeneous solution of an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable monomer, an initiator, and a polymeric stabilizer, wherein the polymeric stabilizer consists of repetitive units, wherein the repetitive units comprise latent vinylsulfonyl moiety, polymerizing the homogeneous solution, and converting the latent vinylsulfonyl moiety to vinylsulfonyl moieties.

Abstract: An element for the attachment of protein arrays, the element comprising a surface to which are attached a plurality of piperazine functional groups wherein the piperazine functional groups are represented by Formula I: where R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, are hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkylhalo, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkylthio, alkoxy, with the proviso that at least one of R1 to R10 be a non-labile chemical unit that attaches the piperazine functional group to the surface of the element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer microsphere comprising at least one polymer and at least one bound latent colorant, wherein the microsphere is stabilized by at least one stabilizing polymer. The invention also includes a method of preparing polymer microspheres comprising combining latent colorant, ethylenically unsaturated monomer, stabilizing polymer, and an initiator in solvent and initiating polymerization to form a polymeric microsphere stabilized by a stabilizing polymer bound to the surface of the polymeric microsphere.

Abstract: A method of making a microarray comprising the steps of: providing a support; coating on the support a receiving layer to receive microspheres, the receiving layer being capable of undergoing sol/gel transition; coating on the receiving layer a dispersion of microspheres in a carrier fluid, wherein the carrier fluid contains at least one crosslinking agent and is capable of solvating the receiving layer; allowing the microspheres to partially submerge into the receiving layer; creating conditions to induce sol/gel transition in the receiving layer, thus immobilizing the microspheres; evaporating off the carrier fluid; and allowing crosslinking reaction between the receiving layer and the crosslinker in the carrier fluid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of particle separation comprising preparing a suspension of particles containing at least one recognizable target particle in a suspending solution, labeling the target particle with a conjugate marker, wherein the conjugate marker comprises at least one recognition unit for the recognizable target particle and at least one peroxidase enzyme, contacting a gelatin surface with the suspending solution, adding developer to the suspending solution in contact with the gelatin surface and in the presence of phenol to attach the target particle to the gelatin surface, and washing the gelatin surface to remove unattached particles. The method may also include detecting the presence of the target particle on the gelatin surface as well as detaching and recovering the attached particles after removal of the non-target particles.

Abstract: A method of identifying nucleic acid samples comprising: providing a mircoarray including a substrate coated with a composition including a population of micro-spheres dispersed in a fluid containing a gelling agent or a precursor to a gelling agent and immobilized at random positions on the substrate, at least one sub-population of said population micro-spheres containing an optical barcode generated from at least one colorant associated with the micro-spheres and including a nucleic acid probe sequence; contacting said array with a target nucleic acid sequence; and detecting the color barcode of said sub-population of micro-spheres due to the interaction of said probe nucleic acid sequence and said target nucleic acid sequence.

Abstract: A method of making a microarray comprising the steps of:—providing a support;—coating on the support a fluid composition containing microspheres and gelatin;—immobilizing the microspheres in the gelatin coating;—partially digesting the gelatin with an enzyme to expose surfaces of the microspheres; and—removing the enzyme and digested gelatin from the coating.

Abstract: A method of identifying nucleic acid samples comprising: providing a mircoarray including a substrate coated with a composition including a population of nucleic acid probe modified micro-spheres immobilized in a coating containing a gelling agent or a precursor to a gelling agent, wherein a first portion of the micro-spheres is submerged in the gelatin coating and a second portion is exposed above the gelatin coating and is substantially free of gelatin, at least one sub-population of the population micro-spheres containing an optical barcode generated from at least one colorant associated with the micro-spheres and including a nucleic acid probe sequence; contacting the array with a target nucleic acid sequence; and detecting the color barcode of the sub-population of micro-spheres due to the interaction of the probe nucleic acid sequence and the fluorescently/chemiluminescently labeled nucleic acid sample target nucleic acid sequence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer microsphere comprising at least one polymer and at least one bound latent colorant, wherein the microsphere is stabilized by at least one stabilizing polymer. The invention also includes a method of preparing polymer microspheres comprising combining latent colorant, ethylenically unsaturated monomer, stabilizing polymer, and an initiator in solvent and initiating polymerization to form a polymeric microsphere stabilized by a stabilizing polymer bound to the surface of the polymeric microsphere.

Abstract: A gelatin-based substrate for fabricating protein arrays, the substrate comprising: gelatin having at least one surface; a polymer scaffold affixed to the gelatin surface; wherein the polymer in the scaffold is rich in reactive units capable of immobilizing proteins.

Abstract: A gelatin-based substrate for fabricating protein arrays, the substrate containing: gelatin and a trifunctional compound A—L—B; wherein A is a functional group capable of interacting with the gelatin; L is a linking group capable of interacting with A and with B; and B is a functional group capable of interacting with a protein capture agent. A may be the same or different from B.

Abstract: A method of making a microarray comprising the steps of: providing a support; coating on the support a fluid composition containing microspheres and gelatin; immobilizing the microspheres in the gelatin coating; partially digesting the gelatin with an enzyme to expose surfaces of the microspheres; and removing the enzyme and digested gelatin from the coating.