Biodot of Irvine, Calif., has received US Patent No. 7,736,591, "Method and apparatus for liquid dispensing." The patent describes a ceramic tip and a random-access print head for the transfer of microfluidic quantities of fluid. The print head can collect and deposit fluid samples from a source plate to a target, according to the patent. The print head can also be programmed to create a direct map of the fluid samples from the source plate on the target or to create any desired pattern or print on the target. The claimed technology can be used for a number of applications including DNA microarraying and compound reformatting.
Grace Bio-Labs of Bend, Ore., has received US Patent No. 7,736,594, "Reaction surface array diagnostic apparatus." The patent claims a diagnostic apparatus that contains a substrate with a number of reaction surfaces and a gasket of through-bores, each capable of being aligned with one of the reaction surfaces to form a fluid tight well. According to the patent, the through-bores can be mountable on the gasket and substrate via a plate. Clamp members then engage edges of the plate, the gasket, and the substrate, forming the apparatus.
Autogenomics of Carlsbad, Calif., has received US Patent No. 7,736,888, "Stage and platform for building a biochip and biochip." The patent claims a biochip for detecting analytes in a test sample. The platform includes a carrier, optionally with a hydrophilic surface; a light-blocking matrix layer; a coupling matrix layer; and a cross-linking agent suspended within the coupling matrix layer. The platform can also include an optional modification matrix layer coupled to the coupling matrix layer, which provides a chromatographic function, a light-absorbing function, a penetration delay function, and an assay function.
Febit of Heidelberg, Germany, has been granted US Patent No. 7,737,088, "Method and device for producing biochemical reaction supporting materials." The patent described methods of manufacturing arrays of biomolecules on a carrier surface. The manufacturing process relies on the use of photoactivation of predetermined areas for synthesis using an illumination matrix that is computer-controlled to generate an exposure pattern, according to the patent. This exposure pattern can be adjusted and monitored by computer using a light sensor matrix, for example a CCD matrix, to allow controlled illumination of specific regions and attachment of array building blocks to those specific regions. The methods enable the spatially resolved photochemical synthesis of polymer probes on a carrier, the inventors claim.
SRU Biosystems of Woburn, Mass., and the University of Illinois of Urbana have received US Patent 7,737,392, "Photonic crystal sensors with integrated fluid containment structure, sample handling devices incorporating same, and uses thereof for biomolecular interaction analysis." The patent describes photonic crystal sensors, sensor arrays, and sensing systems comprised of integrated fluid containment and handling structures. The tools are capable of high-throughput sensing of analytes in fluid samples, bulk refractive index detection, and label-free detection of a range of molecules, including biomolecules and therapeutic candidates, according to the patent.
Columbia University has received US Patent No. 7,738,086, "Active CMOS biosensor chip for fluorescent-based detection." The patent claims an active complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor biosensor chip that supports time-gated, time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Analytes are first loaded with fluorophores that are bound to probe molecules immobilized on the surface of the chip. Photodiodes and other circuitry in the chip are then used to measure the fluorescent intensity of the fluorophore at different times. These measurements are subsequently averaged to generate a representation of the transient fluorescent decay response unique to the fluorophores.
New York University has received US Patent No. 7,739,053, "System and process of determining a biological pathway based on a treatment of a biological specimen." The patent claims a system for analyzing microarray data, metabolite data, protein level data, or any combination to determine biochemical pathways affected by a treatment. The claimed methods can be used to generate biochemical pathway information for any organism for which metabolic profile data can be obtained. It may also be suitable for discovery of regulatory sequences in genes, according to the patent.