Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Cellply S.r.l.

Silicon Biosystems S.p.a.

University of California

Stmicroelectronics Gmbh

Sgs-thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.

Menarini Silicon Biosystems, Inc.

Gambari, Roberto

Mindseeds Laboratories S.r.l.

Roberto Guerrieri

Roberto Antonio Canegallo

Luca Magagni

Nicolò Manaresi

Marco Tartagni

Alberto Fazzi

Luca Ciccarelli

Massimo Bocchi

Alan H Kramer

Gianni Medoro

Antonio Gnudi

Mauro Scandiuzzo

Eleonora Franchi Scarselli

Andrea Lodi

Mauro Chinosi

Roberto Gambari

Vito Fabbrizio

Roberto Rambaldi

Federico Natali

Fabio Campi

Mario Toma

Marco Bisio

Roberto Giansante

Andrea Cappelli

Nicol&ograve; Manaresi

Maximilian Sergio

Mauro Mirandola

Joel Monnier

Massimiliano Olivieri

Luigi Altomare

Methods and systems for rapid and efficient screening of monoclonal antibodies and antibody-secreting cells, and particularly of single antibody-secreting cells, for both primary and functional characteristics, and particularly cell to cell interactions, in a microfluidic system, in particular an inverted open microwell system, where the particle(s) is not bound to a substrate.

Rapid screening of monoclonal antibodies

An inverted microwell provides rapid and efficient microanalysis system and method for screening of biological particles, particularly functional analysis of cells on a single cell basis. The use of an inverted open microwell system permits identification of particles, cells, and biomolecules that may be combined to produce a desired functional effect also functional screening of secreted antibody therapeutic activity as well as the potential to recover cells and fluid, and optionally expand cells, such as antibody secreting cells, within the same microwell.

Microanalysis of cellular function

An inverted microwell () provides rapid and efficient microanalysis system () and method for screening of biological particles (), particularly functional analysis of cells on a single cell basis. The use of an inverted open microwell system () permits identification of particles, cells, and biomolecules that may be combined to produce a desired functional effect also functional screening of secreted antibody therapeutic activity as well as the potential to recover cells and fluid, and optionally expand cells, such as antibody secreting cells, within the same microwell.

The invention proposes a novel therapeutic and diagnostic methodology based on the use of effector cells (for example CTL and NK cells) selected for being able to induce lysis in target cells. In particular, the invention teaches how to select strains of effector cells of the immune system according to their lytic properties. It also teaches how diagnostic procedures for checking the activity of therapeutic vaccines can be improved with respect to what shown. Finally, it shows how cell therapies used at present can be improved by using this approach.

Diagnostic and therapeutic application of CTL and NK functionally selected cells

Methods and apparatus are described for the processing (for example washing, incubation, etc.) of particles in which the particles suspended in a first fluid are introduced under laminar flow conditions into at least one first microchamber or first region of the same, in which a second fluid is introduced under laminar flow conditions into at least one second region of the microchamber or of a second microchamber, in such a way as not to mix with the first fluid, and in which at least one field of force (F) acting on the particles is activated in the microchamber(s), to provoke a shift of the particles alone in a predetermined direction and to transfer the same in suspension into the second fluid; an apparatus is preferably used including at least three microchambers n microchambers arranged in sequence with each other in one direction and each connected with the microchamber immediately before it and after it with two orifices offset from each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction of sequence of the microchambers.

Method and apparatus for characterizing and counting particles, in particular biological particles

A method includes communicatively coupling first and second integrated electronic devices together through a plurality of reference capacitors, transmitting a plurality of transmission reference signals on transmission reference electrodes of the plurality of reference capacitors, receiving coupling signals on reception reference electrodes of the plurality of reference capacitors, amplifying said coupling signals, generating a plurality of reception reference signals, generating a plurality of reception control signals as a function of the plurality of reception reference signals, and detecting a possible misalignment between said first and second integrated electronic devices based on the plurality of reception control signals.

Method for verifying the alignment between integrated electronic devices

A well, in particular an open well () with an upper end having a vertical axis (), for containing a liquid and particles contained within said liquid, characterized by comprising at least two manipulation electrodes () able to be powered by electrical voltages, in particular alternating electrical voltages, so as to manoeuvre particles within the well by means of the dielectrophoretic effect. A platform comprising a plurality of wells as described above and a method for using said well.

Method and apparatus for manipulating single cells and small aggregates thereof

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the characterization and/or the counting of particles by means of non uniform, time variable force fields and integrated optical or impedance meter sensors. The force fields can be of positive or negative dielectrophoresis, electrophoresis or electro-hydrodynamic motions, characterized by a set of stable equilibrium points for the particles (solid, liquid or gaseous); the same method is suitable for the manipulation of droplets (liquid particles) by exploiting effects known to the international scientific community with the name of Electro-wetting on dielectric. The aim of the present invention is to act on the control of the position of each particle which is present in the sample, for the purpose of displacing such particles in a deterministic or statistical way, in order to detect their presence with the integrated optical or impedance meter sensors and/or characterize their type, for the purpose of counting or manipulating them in an efficient way.

Method and apparatus for the characterizing and counting particles, in particular, biological particles

Method and apparatus for characterizing and counting particles, in particular, biological particles

A device and method to compensate for distortions of amplitude that afflict systems for communicating through capacitive coupling. A circuit includes a first transmitter stage, a first receiver stage, and a first coupling capacitor, coupled between the first transmitter stage and the first receiver stage. The first receiver stage includes a calibration amplifier of a variable-gain type coupled between the first coupling capacitor and an output of the electronic circuit. The electronic circuit includes a reference channel formed by: a transmission calibration stage; a reception calibration stage; and a reference capacitor coupled between the transmission calibration stage and the reception calibration stage. The reception calibration stage includes: a reception amplifier of a variable-gain type, having an input coupled to the reference capacitor, and a gain controller, having an input coupled to an output of the reception amplifier and an output coupled to control terminals of the reception and calibration amplifiers.

Electronic circuit for communicating through capacitive coupling

A communication system includes first and second independently clocked devices, comprising, for each device, a transmitter and a receiver connected to each other in a crossed way in correspondence of an inter-chip communication channel. The communication system further comprises a synchronizer in turn including at least a first and a second synchronization block, having respective input terminals connected to the receivers and respective output terminals connected to the transmitters and comprising at least: a test pattern generator that generates a programmable test pattern signal; a pattern detector to check a matching between stored and received test pattern signals and thus lock corresponding clock phases of the synchronization blocks in case of positive result of this check; and a delay block able to change the clock phases until a synchronized condition of the synchronization blocks is verified, this synchronized condition corresponding to a matching between stored and received test pattern signals.

Communication system between a first and a second synchronous device that are uncorrelated in time

A method for verifying alignment between first and second integrated devices coupled together using a reference and a coupling capacitor, including: transmitting a reference signal on a transmission electrode of the reference capacitor; receiving a coupling signal on a reception electrode of the reference capacitor; amplifying the coupling signal, generating a reception reference signal; generating a reception control signal as a function of the reception reference signal; transmitting a communication signal on an electrode of the coupling capacitor; receiving a reception signal on an electrode of the coupling capacitor; amplifying the reception signal, generating a first compensated signal; controlling a level of amplification of amplifying the coupling signal and the reception signal as a function of the reception control signal; and detecting a possible misalignment between the first and second devices based on an amplitude of the communication signal and an amplitude of the compensated signal.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a asynchronous interconnection system comprising a transmitter circuit and a receiver circuit inserted between inserted between respective first and second voltage references and having respective transmitter and receiver nodes coupled in a capacitive manner. The receiver circuit comprises: a recovery stage inserted between the first and second voltage references of the receiver circuit and connected to the receiver node; and a state control stage, in turn inserted between the first and second voltage references of the receiver circuit connected to the recovery stage correspondence with a first feedback node providing a first control signal and having a second feedback node connected in a feedback manner to the recovery stage. The recovery stage comprises a first feedback loop connected to the first feedback node and acting in such a way to recover a received voltage signal and a feedback loop connected to the second feedback node of the state control stage and acting in such a way to deactivate the recovery feedback on the receiver node and guarantee that the receiver node is let in a high impedance state.

Asynchronous interconnection system for 3D interchip communication

Embodiments of the invention relate to a chip-to-chip communication system including a transmitter and a receiver connected to receive respective transmitter and receiver clock signals. The transmitter includes precharge and evaluation blocks connected to each other and to a transmitter clock terminal. The receiver includes a precharge block connected to a receiver clock terminal. The precharge blocks precharge an output terminal of the transmitter and an input terminal of the receiver, respectively, to a value corresponding to a first voltage reference during a low phase of the transmitter clock signal.

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Bologna, Italy

Roberto Guerrieri