Zyomyx, Incorporated

Unversität Zürich

Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich

Eidgenossisch Technische Hochschule Zurich

Laurence Ruiz-Taylor

Peter K Wagner

Frank G Zaugg

Peter Kernen

Renee Tobias

Silvia McManus-Munoz

Jeffrey Alan Hubbell

Marcus Textor

Nicholas David Spencer

Rolf Hofer

Donald L Elbert

Frank Zaugg

Stephanie Finken

A method and kit for assaying a cell sample for the presence of at least a threshold number of cells of a given type are disclosed. The kit includes an assay device having a sample chamber for receiving the cell sample and an elongate collection chamber containing a selected-density and/or viscosity medium and having along its length, a plurality of cell-collection regions, and particles which are capable of specific attachment to cells of the selected cell type, and which are effective, when attached to the cells, to increase the density or magnetic susceptibility of the cells. In operation, particle-bound cells and particles in the cell sample are drawn through the elongate collection chamber under the influence of a gravitational or selected centrifugal or magnetic-field force until the particle-bound cells and particles completely fill successive cell-collection regions in the collection chamber. Indicia associated with at least one collection regions indicates a concentration of cells of the selected type effective to at least partially fill that collection region.

Cell assay kit and method

Multifunctional, polyionic copolymers with molecular architectures and properties optimized for specific applications are synthesized on/or applied to substrate surfaces for analytical and sensing purposes. The coatings are particularly useful for suppression of non-specific interaction, adsorption or attachment of molecular or ionic components present in an analyte solution. Chemical, biochemical or biological groups that are able to recognize, interact with and bind specifically to target molecules in the material containing the analyte to be detected can be coupled to, integrated into, or absorbed to the multifunctional copolymers. These multifunctional copolymer coatings are compatible with a variety of different established methods to detect, sense and quantify the target molecule in an analyte. The multifunctional copolymer coatings typically include brush copolymers based on a polycationic or polyanionic (jointly referred to herein as 'polyionic') backbone with side chains that control interaction with the environment, such as poly(ethylene glycol) or poly(ethylene oxide)-based side chains that decrease cellular adhesion, and analyte-specific side chains. They can be used to pattern the surfaces into non-adhesive and specifically adhesive areas by applications of known techniques such as microfluidic or contact printing techniques.

Multifunctional polymeric surface coatings in analytic and sensor devices

Growing community of inventors

Belmont, CA, United States of America

Laurence Ruiz-Taylor