Portland State University of Portland, Ore., has received US Patent No. 8,409,411, "Nano-porous membrane based sensors." The patent describes nanoporous alumina membranes that host immobilized antibodies in the pores. According to the patent, these membrances are sensitized to respond to target compounds, and the capture of the target compound can be detected based on a spectral signature associated with electrical conductance in the nanopores.
Intel of Santa Clara, Calif., has received US Patent No. 8,409,877, "Enzymatic signal generation and detection of binding complexes in stationary fluidic chip." The patent claims a device for detecting an analyte in a sample. The device consists of a fluidic network of a sample zone, a cleaning zone, and a detection zone. It also contains a magnetic particle and a signal particle. According to the patent, a sample containing an analyte is introduced into the network, where it interacts with the particles through affinity reagents. A magnetic source coupled to the network then moves the particles to the detection zone, where optical or electrical signals from the particles are detected, indicating the presence of the analyte.
Michigan State University of East Lansing, Mich., has received US Patent No. 8,412,465, "Microarray-based gene copy number analyses." The inventors provide an approach for estimating gene copy number using oligonucleotide microarrays. The method integrates gene copy number data obtained from perfect match and mismatch probe sequence structure intensities and probe binding affinities. According to the patent, the method can be used to detect and determine SNP sequences, DNA copy number alterations, and RNA gene expression.