44results about How to "More compact and more inexpensive assay system" patented technology

A microfluidic test module for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the test module having an outer casing configured for hand-held portability, the outer casing having an inlet for receiving the fluid containing the target nucleic acid sequences, a hybridization chamber mounted in the casing, the hybridization chamber containing electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for detecting the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the ECL probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state and a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, and electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, wherein, the hybridization chamber has a volume less than 900,000 cubic microns.

A microfluidic device for detecting target molecules in a fluid, the microfluidic device having an array of chambers containing electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for reaction with the target molecules to form a probe-target complexes, electrodes positioned in each of the chambers for receiving an electrical pulse, the probe-target complexes being configured to emit a photon of light when excited by current between the electrodes, and, a photosensor for detecting the light emitted by the probes, wherein, the photosensor is less than 1600 microns from the probes.

A test module for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the test module having an outer casing having an inlet for receiving the fluid containing the target nucleic acid sequences, electrode pairs for receiving an electrical pulse, electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes adjacent each of the electrode pairs respectively, each of the ECL probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state and a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, such that the electrical pulse to the electrode pair excites the ECL luminophores, wherein, the ECL probes are not anchored to a surface and form a suspension in the fluid containing the target nucleic acid sequences during detection.

A microfluidic device for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a sample, the microfluidic device having reagent reservoirs for adding reagents to the sample prior to detection of the target nucleic acid sequences, probes with a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid sequence for forming probe-target hybrids, and an electrochemiluminescent (ECL) luminophore, and, electrodes for generating an excited state in the ECL luminophore in which the ECL luminophore emits photons of light.

A microfluidic device for analysis of mitochondrial DNA in a sample, the microfluidic device having an inlet for receiving a sample of biological material having cells with mitochondria containing mitochondrial DNA, a lysis section for lysing the mitochondria to release the mitochondrial DNA, electrochemiluminescent (ECL) resonance energy transfer probes for hybridization with target nucleic acid sequences in the mitochondrial DNA to form probe-target hybrids, and, a photosensor for detecting the probe-target hybrids.

A microfluidic device for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a sample, the microfluidic device having a supporting substrate, a microsystems technology (MST) layer overlying the supporting substrate for processing the sample, the MST layer having an array of hybridization chambers, each containing electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for hybridization with the target nucleic acid sequences, and electrode pairs for receiving an electrical pulse, the ECL probes being configured to emit a photon of light when hybridized with one of the nucleic acid targets and activated by one of the electrodes, an array of temperature sensors positioned such that at least one of the temperature sensors corresponds to each of the hybridization chambers respectively, and, heaters for heating each of the hybridization chambers, such that, output from the temperature sensors is used for feedback control of the heaters.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the LOC device having electrochemiluminescent (ECL), resonance energy transfer probes for hybridization with the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the probes containing a sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid sequence, and an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state, a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, hybridization chambers containing the probes for hybridization with the targets, at least one of the heaters and a pair of the electrodes, and, a reagent reservoir containing a reagent for addition to the fluid, wherein, the hybridization chambers each have a volume less than 900,000 cubic microns and the reagent reservoir has a volume less than 1,000,000,000 cubic microns.

A microfluidic device for detecting target molecules in a fluid, the microfluidic device having reagent reservoirs for adding reagents to the fluid prior to detection of the target molecules, probes for reaction with the target molecules to form probe-target hybrids, and an electrochemiluminescent (ECL) luminophore, electrodes for generating an excited state in the ECL luminophore in which the ECL luminophore emits photons of light, and, a photosensor for sensing the photons emitted from the ECL luminophore.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for exciting electrochemiluminescent luminophores, the LOC device having a supporting substrate, an array of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for reaction with the target molecules to form probe-target complexes, the probes each having a luminophore for emitting photons of light when in an excited state, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the luminophores with current between the electrodes, and, CMOS circuitry for controlling the electrical pulse transmitted to the electrodes, wherein, the CMOS circuitry is between the supporting substrate and the array of probes.

A microfluidic device for amplifying and detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a sample, the microfluidic device having a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) section for amplifying the target nucleic acid sequences, and, a hybridization section that has an array of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for hybridization with the target nucleic acid sequences to form probe-target hybrids, and a plurality of electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse such that the probe-target hybrids emit a photon of light.

A portable test module for excitation of electrochemiluminescent probes configured to detect target nucleic acid sequences, the test module having an outer casing configured for hand-held portability, the outer casing having a receptacle for receiving a fluid containing the target nucleic acid sequences, electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state and a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, and, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, wherein during use, the ECL probes that have detected one of the target nucleic acid sequences reconfigure such that the functional moiety does not quench the photon emission from the ECL luminophore when excited by the electrodes.

A microfluidic device for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a sample, the microfluidic device having an array of hybridization chambers, each containing electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for hybridization with the target nucleic acid sequences, and electrode pairs for receiving an electrical pulse, the ECL probes being configured to emit a photon of light when hybridized with one of the nucleic acid targets and activated by one of the electrodes, wherein, the hybridization chambers each have a wall section that is optically transparent to the light emitted by the ECL probes.

A microfluidic device for detecting target molecules in a fluid, the microfluidic device having a hybridization chamber containing electrodes and probes for hybridization with target molecules to form probe-target complexes and generate an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) signal in response to an electrical current between the electrodes, and, a photodiode with an active area and an optical axis extending normal to the active area and through the hybridization chamber, wherein, the hybridization chamber has a floor surface positioned parallel to the active area of the photodiode, the floor surface having a centroid and the active area being encompassed within a cone having the centroid at its vertex, and a vertex angle less than 174°.

A test module for excitation of electrochemiluminescent probes configured to detect target nucleic acid sequences, the test module having an outer casing with an inlet for receiving a fluid containing the target nucleic acid sequences, electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state and a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, and, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, such that the ECL probes that have detected one of the target nucleic acid sequences reconfigure such that the functional moiety does not quench the photon emission from the ECL luminophore when excited by the electrodes, wherein, the ECL luminophore has a transition metal-ligand complex.

A test module for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the test module having an outer casing having a receptacle for receiving the fluid containing the target nucleic acid sequences, electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state and a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, and, a detection photosensor for exposure to the photons emitted by the ECL luminophores.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for detecting hybridization of target nucleic acid sequences, the LOC device having electrochemiluminescent (ECL), resonant energy transfer, primer-linked, stem-and-loop probes for hybridization with the target nucleic acid sequences to form probe-target hybrids, each of the probes having a loop portion containing the target nucleic acid sequence, a primer for extension along the target nucleic acid sequence to form a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the target, an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state, and a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, and, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, wherein during use, forming the complementary nucleic acid sequence causes the loop portion to open such the target nucleic acid sequence therein hybridizes to the complementary nucleic acid sequence and the ECL luminophore is moved away from the functional moiety.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the LOC device having electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for detecting the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state, a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, hybridization chambers containing the probes for detection of the targets, and a pair of the electrodes, and, at least one negative control chamber without the ECL probes.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the LOC device having electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for detecting the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state, a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, detection photodiodes for exposure to the photons emitted by the ECL luminophores, and, at least one calibration photodiode for exposure to ambient light, wherein during use, a difference between the output from any of the detection photodiode and the output from the calibration photodiode is compared to a predetermined threshold difference such that output differences greater than the predetermined threshold indicate the target is present.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for amplifying and detecting target nucleic acid sequences, the LOC device having electrochemiluminescent (ECL), resonant energy transfer, linear probes for hybridization with the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the probes having a linear portion containing a sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid sequence, an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state, a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, and a covalently attached primer for extension along a complementary sequence denatured from the target nucleic acid sequence to replicate the target nucleic acid sequence, heaters for thermally cycling the target nucleic acid sequences through a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in which the covalently attached primers anneal to oligonucleotides containing the target nucleic acid sequences, and, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, wherein during use, replicating the target nucleic acid sequence causes the linear portion to dissociate from the functional moiety such that the complementary nucleic acid sequence therein hybridizes to the target nucleic acid sequence and photons emitted by the ECL luminophore are not quenched.

A test module for excitation of electrochemiluminescent probes configured to detect target nucleic acid sequences, the test module having an outer casing with an inlet for receiving a fluid containing the target nucleic acid sequences, electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state and a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, and, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, such that the ECL probes that have detected one of the target nucleic acid sequences reconfigure such that the functional moiety does not quench the photon emission from the ECL luminophore when excited by the electrodes, wherein, the ECL luminophore has a lanthanide metal-ligand complex.

A test module for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the test module having an outer casing with a receptacle for receiving a fluid containing the target nucleic acid sequences, an array of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for hybridization with the target nucleic acid sequences to form probe-target hybrids, and, electrodes positioned for receiving an electrical pulse, the probe-target hybrids being configured to emit photons when excited by current between the electrodes, and, control circuitry for providing the electrodes with the electrical pulse, wherein during use, addition of the fluid to the probes prevents subsequent addition of other fluid to the probes.

A test module for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the test module having an outer casing having an inlet for receiving the fluid containing the target nucleic acid sequences, a hybridization chamber mounted in the casing, the hybridization chamber containing electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for detecting the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the ECL probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state and a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, and, a reagent reservoir containing a reagent for addition to the fluid prior to detection of the target nucleic acid sequences, wherein, the hybridization chamber has a volume less than 900,000 cubic microns, and, the reagent reservoir has a volume less than 1000,000,000 cubic microns.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the LOC device having electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for detecting the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state, a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, at least one positive control probe that has one of the ECL luminophores but not the functional moiety for quenching photon emission, at least one negative control probe that does not have one of the ECL luminophores, and, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the LOC device having electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for detecting the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the ECL probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state, a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, at least one calibration source configured to generate a calibration emission, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, at least one detection photodiode for sensing photon emissions from the ECL luminophores and generating a detection output, at least one calibration photodiode for sensing the calibration emission and generating a calibration output, and, CMOS circuitry having a differential circuit for subtracting the calibration output from the detection output.

A microfluidic device for detecting target molecules in a fluid, the microfluidic device having an array of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for reaction with the target molecules to form a probe-target complexes, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse, the probe-target complexes being configured to emit a photon of light when excited by current between the electrodes, and, a photosensor for detecting the light emitted by the probes, wherein during use, addition of the fluid to the probes prevents subsequent addition of other fluid to the probes.

A microfluidic device for detecting a target nucleic acid sequence in a sample, the microfluidic device having a sample inlet for receiving the sample, probes with a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid sequence for forming probe-target hybrids, and an electrochemiluminescent (ECL) luminophore, and, electrodes for generating an excited state in the ECL luminophore in which the ECL luminophore emits photons of light, wherein, the sample inlet draws the sample along a fluid flow-path leading to the probes by capillary action.

A microfluidic device having a supporting substrate, a microsystems technologies (MST) layer with a hybridization section that has an array of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for hybridization with target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, and electrode pairs for receiving an electrical pulse, the ECL probes being configured to emit a photon of light when hybridized with one of the nucleic acid targets and activated by one of the electrodes, and, a photosensor for detecting photons of light from the ECL probes that have hybridized.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for detecting target molecules in a fluid, the LOC device having an array of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for reaction with the target molecules to form probe-target complexes, and, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse, wherein, the probes each have an ECL luminophore that emits a photon when excited by current between the electrodes, and a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for amplifying and detecting target nucleic acid sequences, the LOC device having electrochemiluminescent (ECL), resonant energy transfer, stem-and-loop probes for hybridization with the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the probes having a loop portion containing a sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid sequence, an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state, a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, and a covalently attached primer for extension along a complementary sequence denatured from the target nucleic acid sequence to replicate the target nucleic acid sequence, heaters for thermally cycling the target nucleic acid sequences through a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in which the covalently attached primers anneal to oligonucleotides containing the target nucleic acid sequences, and, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores, wherein during use, replicating the target nucleic acid sequence causes the loop portion to open such the complementary nucleic acid sequence therein hybridizes to the target nucleic acid sequence and the ECL luminophore is moved away from the functional moiety.

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for detecting target nucleic acid sequences in a fluid, the LOC device having hybridization chambers containing electrochemiluminescent (ECL) probes for detecting the target nucleic acid sequences, each of the ECL probes having an ECL luminophore for emitting photons when in an excited state, a functional moiety for quenching photon emission from the ECL luminophore by resonant energy transfer, at least one calibration chamber containing probes sealed from contact with the fluid, and, electrodes for receiving an electrical pulse to excite the ECL luminophores.