Bioforce Nanosciences, Inc.

Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc

Curtis L Mosher

Eric R Henderson

Michael P Lynch

Vivian Wynne Jones

Marc D Porter

Juntao Xu

Janice Lillian Huff

Saju Rappai Nettikadan

John-Bruce DeVault Green

Some embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method in which material is deposited upon a surface from an elongated beam having an aperture defined therein through which the material is moved by passive adsorption. The elongated beam can be substantially planar along substantially its entire length, can be oriented at an acute angle with respect to the surface during deposition processes, and can have a length no greater than about 2 mm. In some embodiments, the aperture can be elongated, can extend from a material reservoir to a location short of the terminal end of the elongated beam or through the terminal end of the elongated beam, and can have a portion extending through the thickness of the elongated beam.

Method and apparatus for depositing material onto a surface

The interrogation of extremely small sample volumes can be accomplished with the present invention. Provided are probes having disposed thereon a plurality of domains forming an array, which is suitably a nanoarray. Also provided are methods of detecting molecules and molecular interaction events, retrieving and analyzing analytes, and delivering substances to cells or tissues using probes of the invention.

Method and apparatus for molecular analysis in small sample volumes

The present invention provides an indexed support substrate. The support substrate comprises at least one set of indexing features that are distinguishable from one another and from the surrounding substrate. The support substrate also comprises a set of useful domains. The indexing features are positioned on the substrate in such a way as to correspond to the useful domains in an identifying fashion.

Topographically indexed support substrates

The present invention is a method for selectively removing objects from a surface utilizing a probe. The probe is scanned over the surface utilizing a greater and greater relative amount of force so that a certain number of the objects are removed from the surface. The force required to remove the objects from the surface can be calculated utilizing Hook's law and the spring constant of the probe. After removal of the objects that have a relatively weaker binding affinity with the surface, the remaining objects can be harvested, characterized, and subjected to further study.

Evaluating binding affinities by force stratification and force panning

The present invention is a dedicated apparatus for the formation of array that includes one or more deposition domains comprised of one or more deposition materials. The present invention may include an X, Y controller, an X, Y translation stage, a loading substrate, a deposition substrate, a Z controller, and a deposition probe. A computer controls all of the relative positions of each of the components. Furthermore, the present invention utilizes a humidity control system to create a capillary bridge between the probe and the substrate for transferring the deposition material between the loading substrate, the deposition probe, and the deposition substrate.

Nanoscale molecular arrayer

The invention is a method for the formation and analysis of novel miniature deposition domains. These deposition domains are placed on a surface to form a molecular array. The molecular array is scanned with an AFM to analyze molecular recognition events and the effect of introduced agents on defined molecular interactions. This approach can be carried out in a high throughput format, allowing rapid screening of thousands of molecular species in a solid state array. The procedures described here have the added benefit of allowing the measurement of changes in molecular binding events resulting from changes in the analysis environment or introduction of additional effector molecules to the assay system. The processes described herein are extremely useful in the search for compounds such as new drugs for treatment of undesirable physiological conditions. The method and apparatus of the present invention does not require the labeling of the deposition material or the target sample and may also be used to deposit large size molecules without harming the same.

Method and apparatus for solid state molecular analysis

The present invention includes a method and apparatus for the detection of a target material. The method and apparatus includes providing a substrate with a surface and forming a domains of deposited materials thereon. The deposited material can be placed on the surface and bound directly and non-specifically to the surface, or it may be specifically or non-specifically bound to the surface. The deposited material has an affinity for a specific target material. The domains thus created are termed affinity domains or deposition domains. Multiple affinity domains of deposited materials can be deposited on a single surface, creating a plurality of specific binding affinity domains for a plurality of target materials. Target materials may include, for example, pathogens or pathogenic markers such as viruses, bacteria, bacterial spores, parasites, prions, fungi, mold or pollen spores. The device thus created is incubated with a test solution, gas or other supporting environment suspected of containing one or more of the target materials. Specific binding interactions between the target materials and a particular affinity domain occurs and is detected by various methods.

Device and method of use for detection and characterization of pathogens and biological materials

A height referencing biochemical cassette comprising of a surface suitable to act as a coupling agent, a height referencing indicator, and molecules bonded to the surface. This cassette is a capable of use to test for bonding to these molecules through measuring the height difference between the indicator and the surface. This invention provides an efficient means to quickly and easily test for bonding of molecules to other molecules.

Height referencing biochemical cassette

The present invention provides a method of analyzing for a specific material in a sample using a sensor including a resonating member having resonating properties. The resonating member has a probe and a known material is disposed on or forms the probe. The method includes the steps of positioning the sensor proximate to the sample, detecting a force dependent change in the resonance properties of the sensor, and confirming the presence of the specific material based on the identity of the known material and the detection of a resonance change.

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Ames, IA, United States of America

Curtis L Mosher