Leland Stanford Junior University

Viktor Shkolnikov

Juan G Santiago

Crystal Han

John Ramunas

David P Fenning

Devices and methods for controlling reversible chemical reactions at solid-liquid interfaces are disclosed. In particular, the invention relates to a method of increasing reaction rates by concentrating a target molecule in a liquid phase in the region of a reactant or ligand immobilized on a solid followed by removal of the liquid phase and replacement with an immiscible phase, such as an immiscible gas or liquid to impede the reverse reaction. Devices for performing this method to increase the rates and degree of completion of kinetically limited ligand binding or nucleic acid hybridization reactions in affinity chromatography and microarray applications are also disclosed.

Devices and methods for controlling reversible chemical reactions at solid-liquid interfaces by rapid preconcentration and phase replacement

In a pump, a flexible tube passes through the pump and is held 'normally closed' at an output constriction. The pump includes a pump body and a pump member that can perform two functions by their relative motion. The first function is to open and close an input constriction of the flexible tube. The second function is to compress the section of flexible tube between the input constriction and the output constriction. This section of tube acts as the pump chamber. When closed, the input constriction provides a greater impediment to fluid flow than the output constriction. Therefore, when the input constriction is closed and the pump chamber is compressed, fluid flows out of the pump past the output constriction. When the input constriction is open and compression of the pump chamber is removed, the output constriction closes and fluid can enter the pump by flowing past the location of the input constriction.

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Chatsworth, CA, United States of America

Viktor Shkolnikov