Interchangeable ACM Support for Capillary Electrophoresis Preconcentration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing capillary electrophoresis instruments lack on-line selective affinity-capture-enrichment preconcentration systems, leading to high costs and inefficiencies in analyzing low-abundance biomarkers, and there is a need for an inexpensive, modular, and interchangeable support system for affinity capture, purification, enrichment, separation, and characterization of proteins and peptides.

Innovation Solution

A modular, interchangeable analyte concentrator-microreactor device integrated with a capillary electrophoresis cartridge-cassette, featuring a support platform with apertures and a docking system, allowing easy attachment and detachment of the analyte concentrator-microreactor device for rapid affinity capture, purification, enrichment, and separation of biomarkers, using affinity ligands and microreactor capabilities for biochemical reactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional capillary electrophoresis instruments are used without on-line preconcentration systems, then the instrument structure remains simple, but the ability to detect low-abundance biomarkers is insufficient and analysis costs are high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection sensitivityVSAvoidinstrument structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The analyte concentrator-microreactor device is nested within the capillary electrophoresis cartridge-cassette system. The microreactor is integrated into the cartridge structure, allowing the preconcentration and separation functions to be combined in a compact, hierarchical arrangement that enhances detection sensitivity without proportionally increasing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the analyte concentrator and microreactor functions into a single integrated device that can be attached to the capillary electrophoresis cartridge. This combination allows on-line preconcentration and biochemical reactions to occur within the same system, improving the detection of low-abundance biomarkers while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a modular interchangeable support system is implemented, then the ease of operation and adaptability improve, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveinterchangeabilityVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into distinct modular components: the capillary electrophoresis cartridge-cassette, the analyte concentrator-microreactor device, and the support platform with docking alignment features. Each module can be independently manufactured, validated, and interchanged, enhancing adaptability while keeping individual component complexity manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support platform with complementary docking alignment features serves as a universal interface that can accommodate different analyte concentrator-microreactor devices and cartridge-cassettes. This universal docking mechanism enables multiple functions and configurations without requiring complex custom interfaces for each component combination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Facilitates efficient, cost-effective, and rapid analysis of low- and high-molecular mass proteins and peptides, improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing the risk of diagnostic errors by enhancing the sensitivity and specificity of biomarker detection.

Implementation Method 1

affinity capture, purification, enrichment, separation, identification, and characterization of a wide range of low-and high-molecular mass proteins and peptide biomarkers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAffinity capture: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

capillary electrophoresis instrument for the affinity capture, purification, enrichment, separation, identification, and characterization

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrophoresis: Electrophoresis

Data Source

PatentUS20250244213A1Interchangeable Support Including an Analyte Concentrator-Microreactor Device for Attachment to a Capillary Electrophoresis Cartridge-Cassette

Publication Date: 2025.07.31 PRINCETON BIOCHEMICALS INC

AI summary

A modular, interchangeable, and integrated unitarian support system containing an analyte contractor-microreactor (ACM) device in which analyte concentration and or micro-reactions are carried out on on-line, in-situ location. The interchangeable support system includes a support platform having a main body with one or more apertures therein. A docking support cartridge cassette includes one or more pole supports extending from the docking support cartridge cassette and being respectively removably received in the one or more respective apertures of the main body of the support platform. The analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device being removably coupled to the support platform. The interchangeable support system allows the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device to be expeditiously coupled to the docking support cartridge cassette to perform on-line a variety of molecular interactions including preconcentration, biochemical, metabolic or bioactivity studies.