Spatially Addressable Array for Rapid Drug Screening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bead-based screening technologies for pharmaceutical and diagnostic applications require a 'pick-up' step, such as atomic-force microscopy or micropipette-based bead pick-up, which is time-consuming and costly, and lack rapid and cost-effective methods for identifying new drug candidates and diagnostic reagents.
Innovation Solution
A spatially addressable array system with oligomers and tag sequences hybridized to candidate chemicals, allowing for direct identification of binding molecules to target molecules without the need for iterative selection cycles, using a sequencing device to determine the sequence and location of each bead, enabling rapid and efficient screening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If bead-based screening technology with pick-up step is used, then binding molecules can be identified, but the process is time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pick-up system (micropipettes or atomic-force microscopy) with an optical detection system. Beads are imaged using microscopy, and binding events are detected optically through fluorescence or other optical signals, eliminating the need for mechanical manipulation and significantly reducing screening time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates optical copies or images of the beads and their binding events. Instead of physically manipulating each bead, the system captures optical images that serve as copies, allowing parallel analysis of multiple beads simultaneously and dramatically increasing throughput.
2Measurement precision
If bead-based screening technology with pick-up step is used, then binding molecules can be identified, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive mechanical pick-up systems with more cost-effective optical imaging systems. The microscopy and optical detection infrastructure is generally more accessible and requires less specialized equipment, reducing overall screening costs while maintaining identification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
By using optical imaging to create copies of bead information, the system allows multiple analyses from a single imaging session, reducing the need for repeated physical manipulations and associated costs.
3Reliability
If iterative selection cycles with extensive sequencing and amplification are used, then candidate molecules can be selected, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex wet-lab iterative selection cycles with a simplified optical detection approach. Binding events are directly visualized and quantified through imaging, eliminating the need for multiple rounds of selection, amplification, and sequencing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical imaging system creates direct visual copies of binding events, providing immediate information about candidate molecules without requiring iterative amplification and sequencing steps, thus simplifying the overall process while maintaining selection reliability.
4Reliability
If iterative selection cycles with extensive sequencing and amplification are used, then candidate molecules can be selected, but the time required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming iterative selection cycles with direct optical detection. Binding events are captured in real-time or near-real-time through imaging, providing rapid identification of candidate molecules while maintaining selection accuracy through optical signal analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
By creating optical copies of binding events, the system enables simultaneous analysis of multiple candidates in parallel, dramatically reducing the time required compared to sequential iterative selection cycles while preserving selection reliability.
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
This approach significantly reduces the time and cost of drug discovery by allowing for real-time identification and quantification of binding properties, enabling the selection of candidate molecules with desirable target-binding properties, such as therapeutic aptamers and peptides, and reducing the need for extensive sequencing and amplification processes.
Implementation Method 1
a tag sequence which is complementary to, and is hybridized to, each of said oligomers
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, devices and apparatus for use in screening and/or selecting a library of nucleic acid molecules and/or nucleic acid tagged or encoded molecules for binding to or interaction with a target molecule or substance (e.g., for use in new compound or drug discovery) are described. In some embodiments the device comprises: (a) a spatially addressable array, said array comprising a plurality of separate and discrete locations thereon; (b) a plurality of different oligomers operably connected to said spatially addressable array at different ones of said separate and discrete locations; (c) a tag sequence which is complementary to, and is hybridized to, each of said oligomers; and (d) a candidate chemical operably connected to each of said tag sequences, wherein each of said discrete locations is a unique identifier for its corresponding oligomer; and wherein said tag sequence is a unique identifier for its connected candidate chemical.