International Business Machines Corporation

Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd

Federico Paratore

Govind V Kaigala

Moran Bercovici

Xander Frank Van Kooten

Nadya Ostromohov

Robert Dean Lovchik

Onur Gökçe

Daniel Widerker

Xander Van Kooten

Patterning a substrate can be provided. A substrate is covered by an immersion liquid and a microfluidic probe head is positioned in proximity with the surface of the substrate, so as to immerse a processing surface of the probe head in the immersion liquid. Liquid flows are generated between the processing surface of the probe head and the surface of the substrate, via the probe head. The liquid flows generated include an etching flow of an etching liquid (e.g., an acid or solvent) and a processing flow of a processing liquid (e.g., a solution or suspension).

Subtractive microfabrication and functionalization of substrates by hydrodynamic flow confinements

The present invention provides, in some embodiments, an isotachophoresis (ITP) apparatus, a kit comprising same and method of use thereof for the focusing analytes of interest from large sample volumes.

Device and method for isotachophoretic focusing large sample volumes

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of separating and encapsulating an analyte on a microfluidic device in order to extract the analyte. A microfluidic device is provided having a main microchannel and a set of one or more auxiliary microchannels, each branching to the main microchannel at respective junctions therewith. A mixture is introduced as a single phase in the main microchannel in order to electrokinetically separate an analyte from the introduced mixture, and in order to confine the separated analyte in a microchannel portion of the main microchannel. The microchannel portion adjoins one of the junctions. One or more encapsulating volumes of an encapsulating phase are injected in the main microchannel via one or more of the auxiliary microchannels. The encapsulating phase is immiscible with said single phase. The encapsulated analyte is extracted from the main microchannel via one or more of the auxiliary microchannels.

Electrokinetically separating, encapsulating and extracting analytes on a microfluidic device

Methods and systems are provided for characterizing responses of a ligand-functionalized surface, which rely on dispensing a segmented liquid flow including liquid sequences, each including: an analyte segment including biomolecules of analyte; a spacer segment; and a wash segment including a washing liquid, whereby spacer segments separate wash segments from analyte segments in the dispensed segmented liquid flow. A measurement cycle is performed for each of the liquid sequences of the segmented liquid flow being dispensed. A measurement cycle includes: ejecting an analyte segment of each liquid sequence toward the ligand-functionalized surface and extracting, from each liquid sequence, a spacer segment succeeding the analyte segment as the latter is being ejected; ejecting a wash segment succeeding the extracted spacer segment in each liquid sequence to flush unbound and/or weakly bound biomolecules of analytes from the surface; and reading out a signal of bound biomolecules of analytes on the surface.

Growing community of inventors

Zurich, Switzerland

Federico Paratore