University of California

Children's Hospital Research Center at Oakland

Other

Xerox Corporation

Albert P Pisano

Roger T Howe

Kirk Patrick Seward

Philip Jason Stephanou

Liwei Lin

Gianluca Piazza

Kyle S Lebouitz

Christopher Guild Keller

Clark T-c Nguyen

Franciscus A Kuypers

Dorian Liepmann

Brian Lee Bircumshaw

Neil H Talbot

Won Chul Lee

Michael T Mueller

Oliver M O'Reilly

Gilbert Allan Hawkins

Michael Alan Marcus

David Horsley

Rajesh Vinodrai Mehta

Richard M White

Robert Azevedo

David C Walther

John Evans

Matthew A Hopcroft

Boris Stoeber

Babak Jamshidi

Ya-Mei Chen

Seung S Lee

Michael Stephen Sheppy

Trey Roessig

David R Myers

Matthew Wasilik

Jim Cheng

Kansho Yamamoto

Thomas H Cauley, Iii

Brian D Sosnowchik

Stefan Zimmermann

An apparatus for analyzing individual cell composition in a heterogeneous cell population may include, in one embodiment, a deposition plate having an array of microwells disposed therein, and a cover plate substantially overlying the deposition plate. A pair of electrodes may be associated with one or more of the microwells, and may be configured to generate an electric field within the associated microwell.

Single-cell microchamber array

A MEMS sensor for detecting electromagnetic waves in a particular frequency range is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the MEMS sensor comprises a bottom substrate layer; a first electrode layer over the substrate layer; a pyroelectric layer over the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer over the pyroelectric layer; wherein a top electrode layer is patterned with a periodic structure that has a periodicity less than or equal to target infrared wavelength.

Pyroelectric aluminum nitride MEMS infrared sensor with selective wavelength infrared absorber

A contour mode micromechanical piezoelectric resonator. The resonator has a bottom electrode; a top electrode; and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The piezoelectric resonator has a planar surface with a cantilevered periphery, dimensioned to undergo in-plane lateral displacement at the periphery. The resonator also includes means for applying an alternating electric field across the thickness of the piezoelectric resonator. The electric field is configured to cause the resonator to have a contour mode in-plane lateral displacement that is substantially in the plane of the planar surface of the resonator, wherein the fundamental frequency for the displacement of the piezoelectric resonator is set in part lithographically by the planar dimension of the bottom electrode, the top electrode or the piezoelectric layer.

Contour-mode piezoelectric micromechanical resonators

Provided are capacitive strain sensors. In certain embodiments, the capacitive strain sensor can continuously and accurately measure strain in corrosive ambient conditions and may operate up to 370&#xb0; C. or more in air. The sensor includes a differential capacitor that includes a bending beam structure. In some instances, the sensor is configured to increase the effect of strain in a substrate along a sensing axis while attenuating the effect of cross-axis strain. Also provided are methods of making the capacitive strain sensors, e.g., using Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) fabrication techniques, and methods of using the capacitive strain sensors.

Capacitive strain sensor

Piezoelectric actuators are provided. In some instances, the piezoelectric actuators are high-precision piezoelectric actuators. The piezoelectric beams may have a bi-chevron configuration. Also provided are methods of making the piezoelectric actuators, e.g., using Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) fabrication techniques, and methods of using the piezoelectric actuators, e.g., as valves in fluid dispensing systems.

Piezoelectric actuators

The invention provides a device, system and method that enables a microfluidic flow lysometer cell analyzer. Using a population of suspended living cells. cell surface molecule detection reagents, and cell cytoplasm (or nuclear) molecule detection reagents, this microfluidic cell analyzer can rapidly analyze a population of cells by running them on a one-at-a-time basis through small capillary channels. The cell's morphology or surface markers are analyzed, then the cells are lysed, and the molecules present in the cell's cytoplasm or nuclear material are analyzed. Cell morphology is then analyzed as the cell surface molecules are correlated with the molecules present in the same cell's cytoplasm or nucleic acids, and this correlated cell population data is then presented to a user for interpretation. The invention also addresses issues such as device fouling, correction for experimental artifacts (incomplete cell lyis, variable cell debris volume effects), and inadequate data collection that hampered earlier efforts in this area.

Microfluidic flow lysometer device, system and method

An infrared sensor with at least one cantilever beam functionalized with chitin, chitosan or their derivatives that can be tailored to be sensitive to certain IR bands for detection and does not require cooling is described. The functional layers expand differently than the structural layer of the cantilever beam causing the beam to bend in response to exposure to infrared radiation. The sensor can be adapted to optical, piezoresistive, capacitive and piezoelectric methods of detect beam deflection. Sensitivity can be increased with a reflective layer to increase the absorption of infrared radiation by the functional layer.

Chitin-based cantilever bimorphs and readout devices

An actuator for an interventional surgical procedure is described. The actuator may include an actuator body having a distal end and a proximal end. A central expandable section is located between the distal end and the proximal end. The expandable section is operable between an unactuated condition in which the expandable section is in a furled state and an actuated condition in which the expandable section is in an unfurled state. A needle is located at the expandable section. The needle is moveable in an approximately perpendicular direction relative to a central longitudinal axis of the actuator body from a position within the actuator body to a position outside of the actuator body.

Microfabricated surgical device for interventional procedures

A method of interventional surgery is described. The method may include inserting an actuator within a body of a vascularized organism and positioning the actuator adjacent a target region within a vessel of the body. The actuator is operated to cause a needle thereof to move in a substantially perpendicular direction relative to a wall of the vessel to produce an opening therein. A therapeutic or diagnostic agent may be delivered by the needle to the target region via the opening in the vessel wall.

Method of interventional surgery

An organic material can be used in a modified strain gauge for IR transduction, resulting in an organic IR sensor. Infrared radiation incident on the organic material modulates a displacement of the material in order to detect the presence and intensity of IR radiation. This innovative design doesn't require cooling, and is sensitive to 9 and 3 &#x3bc;m&#x2014;wavelengths that are emitted by mammals and forest fires, respectively. In addition, a photomechanical polymer can be used in a transistor based on a thin-film transistor (TFT), also resulting in an IR sensor. Through careful synthesis of the polymers, the photomechanical response of the transistor can be tailored to certain IR bands for detection purposes.

Infrared sensor systems and devices

Growing community of inventors

Danville, CA, United States of America

Albert P Pisano