A method for detecting and quantifying of the frequency of T cells to multiple antigenic peptide epitopes comprising: measuring intracellular Ca2+ signaling in individual T cells that are labeled with Ca2+ sensitive fluorophore; wherein said T cells are placed on the glass bottom of a well-covered with antibodies or other capturing proteins specific for non-stimulatory T cells' surface receptors and wherein a peptide antigens are injected into the well and the peptide binds to MHC molecules on the T-cell surface, wherein an increase in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ in responding T cells leads to rise in intracellular fluorescence that is detected by fluorescent microscope and wherein the response rate of said detected fluorescence can be utilized to determine the quantity of responding T cells and the efficiency of said cells.

Provided are a method of efficiently producing an sIL-2R antigen in an amount necessary for antibody generation, and a method of producing an anti-sIL-2R antibody using the antigen. Specifically, provided are a method of producing soluble interleukin-2 receptor, including culturing SCC-3 cells and recovering soluble interleukin-2 receptor from a culture of the cells, and a method of producing an anti-soluble interleukin-2 receptor antibody, including immunizing an animal with sIL-2R produced by the method.

Provided are a method of efficiently producing an sIL-2R antigen in an amount necessary for antibody generation, and a method of producing an anti-sIL-2R antibody using the antigen. Specifically, provided are a method of producing soluble interleukin-2 receptor, including culturing SCC-3 cells and recovering soluble interleukin-2 receptor from a culture of the cells, and a method of producing an anti-soluble interleukin-2 receptor antibody, including immunizing an animal with sIL-2R produced by the method.

Provided herein are methods of identifying a protein capable of binding a ligand, the method comprising: (a) contacting the ligand with two or more samples comprising a plurality of proteins in a solution; (b) separating the proteins bound to the ligand (“bound proteins”) from the proteins that are not bound to the ligand (“unbound proteins”) in each sample; (c) denaturing and digesting the bound proteins to form a plurality of peptides in each sample; (d) quantifying a plurality of molecular features contained in the plurality of peptides in each sample, wherein the molecular features are defined as having a mass to charge ratio, retention time, and peak intensity as measured by mass spectrometry; and (e) ranking the molecular features that exhibit a statistically significant difference in quantity between the samples contacted with the ligand and a sample that is not contacted with the ligand (“statistically significant molecular feature”).

Provided herein are methods of identifying a protein capable of binding a ligand, the method comprising: (a) contacting the ligand with two or more samples comprising a plurality of proteins in a solution; (b) separating the proteins bound to the ligand (“bound proteins”) from the proteins that are not bound to the ligand (“unbound proteins”) in each sample; (c) denaturing and digesting the bound proteins to form a plurality of peptides in each sample; (d) quantifying a plurality of molecular features contained in the plurality of peptides in each sample, wherein the molecular features are defined as having a mass to charge ratio, retention time, and peak intensity as measured by mass spectrometry; and (e) ranking the molecular features that exhibit a statistically significant difference in quantity between the samples contacted with the ligand and a sample that is not contacted with the ligand (“statistically significant molecular feature”).

A drug screening platform simulating hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy including a dielectrophoresis system, a microfluidic chip and a heating system is disclosed. The dielectrophoresis system is used to provide a dielectrophoresis force. The microfluidic chip includes a cell culture array and observation module and a drug mixing module. The cell culture array and observation module are used to arrange the cells into a three-dimensional structure through the dielectrophoresis force to construct a three-dimensional tumor microenvironment. The drug mixing module is coupled to the cell culture array and observation module and used to automatically split and mix the inputted drugs and output the drug combinations into the cell culture array and observation module. The heating system is used for real-time temperature sensing and heating control of the drug combinations on the microfluidic chip to simulate high-temperature drug environment when performing hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy on the three-dimensional tumor microenvironment.

Described herein are novel divalent nucleobases that each bind two nucleic acid strands, matched or mismatched when incorporated into a nucleic acid or nucleic acid analog backbone (a genetic recognition reagent, or genetic recognition reagent). In one embodiment, the genetic recognition reagent is a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) or gamma PNA (γPNA) oligomer. Uses of the divalent nucleobases and monomers and genetic recognition reagents containing the divalent nucleobases also are provided.

One type of tissue-based assay, the companion diagnostic (“CDx”) allows for the identification of individuals within a larger patient population who are more likely to respond to a therapy. The CDx paradigm typically applies to drugs that target a specific gene product or biologic pathway involving a gene product of interest. It is possible, especially for popular therapeutic targets, for multiple drugs and multiple associated CDx to be developed for a single gene product or biologic pathway involving the gene product. Currently, each of these similar CDx must be applied to identify the best therapy. The present invention can determine the outcome of one CDx using an image of a tissue section used for another CDx. Using a single tissue section and a single CDx, it becomes possible to obtain the outcome of multiple, related CDx.

One type of tissue-based assay, the companion diagnostic (“CDx”) allows for the identification of individuals within a larger patient population who are more likely to respond to a therapy. The CDx paradigm typically applies to drugs that target a specific gene product or biologic pathway involving a gene product of interest. It is possible, especially for popular therapeutic targets, for multiple drugs and multiple associated CDx to be developed for a single gene product or biologic pathway involving the gene product. Currently, each of these similar CDx must be applied to identify the best therapy. The present invention can determine the outcome of one CDx using an image of a tissue section used for another CDx. Using a single tissue section and a single CDx, it becomes possible to obtain the outcome of multiple, related CDx.

The presence of analytes can be detected in the bodily fluid using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) or Electrochemical Capacitance Spectroscopy (ECS) in devices, such as handheld point-of-care devices. The devices, as well as systems and methods, utilize using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) or Electrochemical Capacitance Spectroscopy (EIS) in combination with an antibody or other target-capturing molecule on a working electrode. Imaginary impedance or phase shift, as well as background subtraction, also may be utilized.