Microfluidic Systems, Inc.

Allen Northrup

Farzad Pourahmadi

Bob Yuan

Amy J Devitt

An extraction and analysis device includes a microfluidic based collection system that extracts one or more different analytes from a fluid-based sample and an optical analysis system directly coupled to the collection system to perform optical analysis on the one or more collected analytes. The microfluidic based collection system includes microfluidic circuitry for directing a fluid based sample to a purification chip. Analytes collected within the purification chip can be either subsequently removed and analyzed or the analytes can be analyzed directly, while still within the purification chip, using the optical analysis system. The purification chip is preferably comprised of a plurality of pillars, the surface area of each pillar is coated with a specific capture chemistry. The specific capture chemistry is applied by derivitizing the pillars such that a ligand, such as a nucleic acid, an amptimer, or an antibody is attached to each pillar.

Apparatus and method of extracting and optically analyzing an analyte from a fluid-based sample

An integrated collection and detection system is configured to monitor the ambient air for specific particles, such as toxins and pathogens. An air collector captures airborne particles and outputs a fluid sample including the captured particles in a fluid solution. The collection and detection system includes a control module configured to control the processing of the fluid sample such that detection of one or more types of particles is fully automated within the integrated system. The types of particles to be processed and detected include, but are not limited to, cells, bacteria, viruses, nucleic acids, toxins, and other pathogens. If one or more specific types of particles are detected, a system alarm is triggered. The system alarm triggers a local audio/visual alarm and/or is transmitted over a communications network to either a local or central monitoring location. More than one collection and detection system can be coupled to the network and monitored by the central monitoring location.

Integrated airborne substance collection and detection system

A standalone bench top laboratory instrument designed to disrupt, or lyse, cells, spores and tissue samples using ultrasonic energy. The lysing device is programmable, allowing the user control over the sample volume, sonication power level, and lysing duration in order to optimize lysing protocols for specific targets. Once a lysing protocol is entered, the device automatically lyses the sample according to the entered lysing protocol. The lysing device also provides a cooling feature, enabled by a heat exchanging sub-assembly, to prevent the sample from exceeding a maximum set temperature.

Apparatus to automatically lyse a sample

A collection and detection system is directed to a combined system in which a detect to warn system is integrated with a detect to treat system. Such a combined system provides multi-levels of detection to determine the presence and identity of one or more different types of specific particles. In some applications, the combined system is configured to detect and identify one or more different types of specific biological particles such as toxins and pathogens. The combined system includes a first level detection device, in which the presence of one or more toxins and/or pathogens are detected, and a second level detection device. Upon detection by the first level detection device, the second level detection device performs a second level of detection in which the one or more toxins and/or pathogens are identified.

A collection and detection system is configured as a detect to warn system in which the presence of specific types of particles are detected, and may or may not be identified. An air collection module intakes ambient air, detect the presence of one or more different types of airborne particles within the ambient air, and collect the airborne particles, such as within a fluid. A triggering mechanism is positioned to continuously monitor the airflow, to determine one or more characteristics of the airborne particles. If those measured characteristics match specific known characteristics, a trigger signal is generated. In response, a confirmation device performs a detection method on a fluid solution including the airflow particles to determine the presence of one or more different types of specific biological particles.

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Orinda, CA, United States of America

Allen Northrup