Stellenbosch University

Willem Jacobus Perold

Leon Milner Theodore Dicks

Benjamin Loos

Jan Hendrik Servaas Hofmeyr

Thomas Stanley Van Den Heever

Giles Hubert Coyle Maybery

Deon Nevwling

Christiaan Gunter Alwyn Viviers

Andre Du Toit

A method, device and system for determining autophagic flux are claimed. The levels of proteins which change with increased or decreased autophagy are determined in a sample. The change in the level of each protein is quantified in order to obtain the autophagic flux. This can be compared to a sample flux range associated with autophagy dysfunction or ageing patterns. Diseases or conditions which may be diagnosed include neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia, cancer, heart conditions, immune conditions or aging-related conditions. The device for determining autophagic flux comprises a housing, receiving zones configured for receiving a substrate and a biological sample, and a set of electrodes for each receiving zone. The device is connectable to circuitry that determines an electrical property of each substrate and uses this to determine the autophagic flux.

Method and device for determining autophagic flux

A system and method for the detection and quantification of biomolecules by measuring a piezoelectric signal is described. The system comprises a plurality of elongate zinc oxide nanowires mounted generally parallel to each another on a semi conductive silicon substrate. The free ends of the nanowires are provided with biomolecules that are capable of associating with complementary biomolecules within a biological or water sample. Following incubation of the system in a sample, the association of molecules of interest with the immobilised biomolecules on the system results in the displacement of the zinc oxide nanowires. The displacement of the nanowires produces a piezoelectric voltage signal that is useful in diagnosing a pathogenic infection or the contamination of a sample.

Systems and methods for the detection of biomolecules

A device for detecting target biomolecules is provided. The device consists of an electrically conductive membrane having a biological recognition component configured to bind a target biomolecule immobilized thereon. The membrane is connected to an electric circuit by means of electrodes. A voltage source applies a voltage to the membrane and a resistance monitoring device monitors the resistance of the membrane as a selected volume of fluid sample suspected of containing the target biomolecule is delivered onto the membrane.

Device for detecting target biomolecules

Growing community of inventors

Somerset West, South Africa

Willem Jacobus Perold