Panasonic of Osaka, Japan, has received US Patent Nos. 8,480,866; 8,480,867; and 8,480,878, all entitled, "Biosensor, thin film electrode forming method, quantification apparatus, and quantification method." The '866 and '878 patents describe biosensors that consist of conductive layers made of noble metals, such as gold and palladium, electrodes, and microfluidics for supplying samples to the electrodes. The '867 patent provides a means for measuring substrate content present in a specimen once it is applied to the biosensor by detecting emitted electrical signals.
Ambergen of Waltham, Mass., has received US Patent No. 8,481,263, "Bead-ligand-nascent protein complexes." Bead-ligand-nascent protein complexes, and method of creating and detecting a bead-ligand-nascent protein complexes, are described. The PCR-amplified product which is attached to a surface, is used to generate nascent protein, which in turn is captured on the bead and detected by fluorescence. The patent finds application in many fields including microarrays and micro-bead technologies, for applications such as parallel DNA sequencing, mRNA or protein expression profiling, SNP and other genetic analyses, biomarker discovery, diagnostics, prognostics, personalized medicine, protein interaction analysis, drug discovery, and proteomics.
Illumina of San Diego has received US Patent No. 8,481,268, "Use of microfluidic systems in the detection of target analytes using microsphere arrays." A fluidics device is claimed that includes a first channel in fluid communication with an inlet; a detection module in fluid communication with the first channel, that consists of an array of wells in communication with a tantalum-containing substrate; populations of microspheres distributed in these wells; and a second channel in fluid communication with the detection module and an outlet.
Illumina has also received US Patent No. 8,483,969, "Variation analysis for multiple templates on a solid support." Molecules are provided on a solid support and detected in aggregate during a detection step. Once the signal is detected in aggregate, an initial estimate of the amount of signal corresponding to different types of molecules at the site is estimated. The amount of signal corresponding to different types of molecules at the site is calculated using the initial estimate, to obtain a signal estimate. The initial estimate is iteratively updated until the signal estimates converge, enabling the detection of molecules associated with the site.
Corning of Corning, NY, has received US Patent No. 8,481,303, "Microfluidic device for cell culture." The described apparatus includes a cell retention chamber and a perfusion channel. According to the patent, the cell retention chamber has a structured surface from which projections extend into the chamber. These projections are arranged to suspend cells cultured in the chamber above the surface. The first perfusion channel is configured to provide laminar flow of a fluid through the channel and forms openings in communication with the cell retention chamber. The openings are configured to prevent cells from the retention chamber from entering the perfusion channel.
Seng Enterprises of Lanarca, Cyprus, has received US Patent No. 8,481,325, "Device for studying individual cells." The claimed device consists of a picowell array and a fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the picowells through channels. According to the patent, the device has a moveable lid that in one rest location allows loading of cells in the picowell array. A device for the automated study of cells that includes a picowell array with a moveable lid, a lid-moving component, a solution-dispensing component, and a control system, is also claimed.
Charm Sciences of Lawrence, Mass., has received US Patent No. 8,481,334, "Method of attaching a ligand to a solid support." The patent features a method of attaching a ligand that has a free carboxyl group to a solid support by adding an amino group to the ligand to form a ligand-amino derivative, converting the ligand amino derivative to a ligand sulfhydryl derivative, attaching the ligand sulfhydryl derivative to a protein to form a ligand-linker-protein conjugate, and applying the ligand-linker-protein conjugate to the solid support. The method finds use in immobilizing small molecule ligands having a free carboxyl group, such as cloxicillin, to a lateral-flow test strip, in order to make a detection zone on the test strip that exhibits a clear signal and enhanced sensitivity.
Toyo Kohan of Tokyo has received US Patent No. 8,481,461, "Detection method for microarray." The patent provides a means for determining hybridization failure in addition to performance degradation, insufficient washing, and the like, in a microarray. These methods are carried out following the detection of hybridization between a probe polynucleotide and a target polynucleotide on a microarray by measuring the fluoresecence of labeled probes.
Arizona State University of Scottsdale, Ariz., has received US Patent No. 8,481,679, "Immobilizing an entity in a desired orientation on a support material." The patent relates to the identification and selection of attachment molecules. These molecules immobilize an entity on a support in an orientation that provides a detectable activity or property, as well as to surfaces made of the attachment molecules.
ExonHit Therapeutics of Paris has received US Patent No. 8,481,701, "Process and method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease." The patent claims serum markers for Alzheimer's disease and their use in diagnostic methods. It also concerns tools suitable for implementing these methods, including reagents, probes, primers, antibodies, and microarrays, as well as their preparation and their use. According to the inventors, their methods and tools can be used to detect the presence or progression of Alzheimer's disease in mammals, including in the early phase, as well as for predicting the efficacy of an Alzheimer's disease treatment.