The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation of Madison, Wis., has received US Patent No. 7,276,283, “Plasma-enhanced functionalization of carbon-containing substrates.” The patent claims methods for producing plasma-treated, functionalized carbon-containing surfaces. The methods include the steps of subjecting a carbon-containing substrate to a plasma to create surface active sites on the surface of the substrate and reacting the surface active sites with stable spacer molecules in the absence of plasma. Biomolecules may then be immobilized on the resulting functionalized surfaces. The methods may be used to treat a variety of carbon-containing substrates, including polymeric surfaces, diamond-like carbon films and carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles.
Agilent Technologies has received US Patent No. 7,276,336, “Methods of fabricating an addressable array of biopolymer probes.” The patent claims a method of fabricating an addressable array of biopolymer probes on a substrate according to a target array pattern using a deposition apparatus, and a deposition apparatus that can execute the method and computer program products for the apparatus. The deposition apparatus, when operated according to a target drive pattern based on nominal operating parameters of the apparatus, provides the probes on the substrate in the target array pattern. The method includes examining at least one operating parameter for an error from a nominal value.
Bio-Rad Laboratories of Hercules, Calif., has received US Patent No. 7,276,381, “Monomers and polymers having energy absorbing moieties of use in desorption/ionization of analytes.” The patent describes polymerizable monomers that incorporate moieties derived from energy-absorbing molecules. It also provides polymers that are based on the monomers. The polymers have unique properties that make them ideally suited for use in diverse analyses, including to detect, quantify, and identify analytes.