CapitalBio and Tsinghua University, both of Beijing, have received US Patent No. 8,137,622, "Device for washing and hybridization of biochips." The device consists of a carousel, a translational movement controller, a revolving movement controller, and an optional heating chamber. The revolving movement controller controls the carousel and allows it to move in a wobbling fashion, allowing liquid movement of the hybridization or washing boxes during hybridization and washing of biochips on the carousel. The translational movement controller brings the carousel back to horizontal position once the revolving movement controller stops, ensuring that the liquid does not spill out. And the heating chamber circulates hot air within the device, ensuring that the hybridization and washing in a thermostatic condition.
The United States of America has received US Patent No. 8,137,624, "Method and apparatus for attaching a fluid cell to a planar substrate." According to the patent, the substrate may contain sensors or devices for detecting components within the fluid, and be treated to selectively bind or react with components within the fluid. Substrates might include solid-state integrated circuit sensor microchips, glass slides, genomic and proteomic arrays, and or other substrates that can make conformal contact with the fluid cell. The fluid cell can be mounted directly on top of the substrate to create a fluidic system in a wide variety of implementations.
Nanyang Technological University of Singapore has received US Patent No. 8,138,496, "Addressable transistor chip for conducting assays." The patent describes a bioelectronic microchip formed on a substrate that includes field effect transistors. Each transistor includes two electrodes on the substrate. The chip also includes a channel extending between the first and second electrodes. According to the patent, an organic semiconducting material fills the channel and a dielectric layer formed atop the first and second electrodes and the channel. An electrolyte to hold a probe molecule may be formed on the dielectric and a third electrode in proximity with the first and second electrodes contacts the dielectric. Capture of target molecules may be detected at each transistor through changes in source to drain characteristics. The inventors claim the device finds use in diagonistic and drug-discovery applications.