Diagnostics for the Real World, Ltd.

Xennia Technology Limited

Conductive Inkjet Technology Limited

Shaun Christopher Hazlewood

Natasha Jeremic

Magda Anastassova Dineva

Helen Lee

Craig Alan Wisniewski

Helen Hwai-an Lee

Phillip John Stankus

Grant Timothy Lewis Smetham

Elipidio Cesar Braga Nadala

Helen University Of Cambridge Department Of Haematology Lee

A single phase aqueous curable composition suitable for thermal inkjet printing comprises a mixture of curable materials, water in amounts in the range 10 to 30% of the weight of the compositions, and one or more co-solvents for the curable materials. Because the water content is relatively low, a drying step is not required before curing, increasing printing speeds. The composition has good performance and has good adhesion to a wide range of substrates including non-porous and semi-porous materials as well as porous materials.

Inkjet printing

An activator composition for forming an activator-containing region on a substrate for activating a chemical reaction to form a conductive metal region on the substrate, the composition being suitable for thermal inkjet printing, the composition comprising a single phase aqueous composition including one or more curable materials and one or more co-solvents for the curable material(s); and an activator for reaction to form a conductive metal region. Conductive metal regions may be formed on the resulting activator-containing regions by a metallisation reaction such as electroless deposition.

Formation of conductive metal regions on substrates

A single phase aqueous composition suitable for thermal inkjet printing comprises a mixture of curable materials including at least two curable oligomers; and one or more co-solvents for the curable materials.

Use of helper probes in dipstick assays is described. In a dipstick assay to test for the presence of a target nucleic acid in a sample solution, the sample solution is contacted with the contact end of the dipstick to cause the sample solution to move by capillary action to a capture zone of the dipstick at which target nucleic acid is captured. The target nucleic acid may be captured at the capture zone by a capture probe capable of hybridising to the target nucleic acid. A labelled detection probe capable of hybridising to the target nucleic acid may be used to detect the target nucleic acid at the capture zone. A helper probe may be used to enhance the binding of the capture and/or detection probe to the target nucleic acid, thereby improving the sensitivity of target nucleic acid detection. Dipsticks and kits are also described.

Capture and detection of target nucleic acid in dipstick assays

In a sampler for sampling a first portion of a liquid flow, the liquid flow enters at a sampler inlet (). The sample passes through a valve () into a sample chamber () and then the valve closes, diverting the remainder of the liquid flow to a sampler overflow (). The valve comprises a valve inlet () coupled to the sampler inlet, a valve outlet () opening into the sample chamber and positioned, in use, substantially below the valve inlet, a shut-off chamber () separating the valve outlet from the valve inlet, and a valve overflow () leading from the shut-off chamber to the sampler overflow (). When the liquid level in the sample chamber rises to a predetermined level it disrupts the flow of liquid through the valve outlet and diverts later flow through the valve inlet into the shut-off chamber and through the valve overflow.

Liquid sampler and method

Use of helper probes in dipstick assays is described. In a dipstick assay to test for the presence of a target nucleic acid in a sample solution, the sample solution is connected with the contact end of the dipstick to cause the sample solution is contacted with the contact end of the dipstick to cause the sample solution to move by capillary action to a capture zone of the dipstick at which target nucleic acid is captured. The target nucleic acid may be captured at the capture zone by a capture probe capable of hybridising to the target nucleic acid. A labelled detection probe capable of hybridising to the target nucleic acid may be used to detect the target nucleic acid at the capture zone. A helper probe may be used to enhance the binding of the capture and/or detection probe to the target nucleic acid, thereby improving the sensitivity of target nucleic acid detection. Dipsticks and kits are also described.

Growing community of inventors

Suffolk, United Kingdom

Shaun Christopher Hazlewood