A solid phase for use in separation has been modified using an aqueous phase adsorption of a headgroup-modified lipid to generate analyte specific surfaces for use as a stationary phase in separations such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or solid phase extraction (SPE). The aliphatic moiety of the lipid adsorbs strongly to a hydrophobic solid surface, with the hydrophilic and active headgroups orienting themselves toward the more polar mobile phase, thus allowing for interactions with the desired solutes. The surface modification approach is generally applicable to a diversity of selective immobilization applications such as protein immobilization clinical diagnostics and preparative scale HPLC as demonstrated on capillary-channeled fibers, though the general methodology could be implemented on any hydrophobic solid support material.

Beam-induced deposition decomposes a precursor at precise positions on a surface. The surface is processed to provide linker groups on the surface of the deposit, and the sample is processed to attach nano-objects to the linker groups. The nano-objects are used in a variety of application. When a charged particle beam is used to decompose the precursor, the charged particle beam can be used to form an image of the surface with the nano-objects attached.

Materials and methods for the design of hybrid materials comprising a conducting matrix, organic modifiers/linkers and modifying molecules.

A method for magnetic cellular manipulation may include contacting a composition with a biological sample to form a mixture. The composition may include a plurality of particles. Each particle in the plurality of particles may include a magnetic substrate. The magnetic substrate may be characterized by a magnetic susceptibility greater than zero. The composition may also include a chargeable silicon-containing compound. The chargeable silicon-containing compound may coat at least a portion of the magnetic substrate. The biological sample may include cells and/or cellular structures. The method may also include applying a magnetic field to the mixture to manipulate the composition.

The present invention provides molecular biosensors capable of signal amplification, and methods of using the molecular biosensors to detect the presence of a target molecule.

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for establishing a solvent correction curve as well as using the curve for obtaining a corrected sensorgram or corrected report points from a sensorgram of an analyte. In another embodiment, the present invention provides an analytical system for studying molecular interactions, which comprises computer processing means including program code means for performing the steps of the methods. Also provided is a computer program product comprising program code means stored on a computer readable medium or carried on an electrical or optical signal for performing the steps of the methods.

In vitro diagnostic sensors are disclosed that include membranes formed of a polymer matrix that has been modified to contain surface adhesion functional group(s) that enables attachment of the membrane to a substrate of the sensor. Also disclosed are membranes of these sensors as well as multi-sensor arrays that include multiple sensors. In addition, methods of producing and using these membranes, sensors, and arrays are disclosed.

The present invention provides a method for studying transport of an agent across a membrane comprising the steps a) providing at least one surface with a bilayer structure tethered to the surface, said bilayer structure comprising a detection volume, b) contacting the bilayer with at least one agent to be analyzed, and c) detecting a change in refractive index in the detection volume resulting from transportation of the agent across the membrane. Further there is provided a device comprising a) at least one surface, b) at least one bilayer structure tethered to the surface, and c) at least one sensor capable of detecting a change in refractive index in a detection volume, wherein the bilayer structure encloses a first volume of the detection volume and wherein the volume not enclosed by the bilayer structure but within the detection volume is a second volume and wherein the ratio between the first volume and second volume is above about 0.001.

A nanoagent for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection of a target of interest, includes one or more nanocomposites. The target of interest may include at least one tumor cell or at least one pathogen. Each nanocomposite includes at least one gold nanorod, a silver layer coated on a surface of the gold nanorod and having silver nanoparticles, a Raman reporter molecule layer assembled on the silver layer and having Raman reporter molecules, a pegylated layer coated on the Raman reporter molecule layer, and an antibody layer conjugated to the pegylated layer. The different nanocomposites of the nanoagent can be represented by different colors when SERS images are collected upon the nanoagent.

The present invention generally relates to droplet libraries and to systems and methods for the formation of libraries of droplets. The present invention also relates to methods utilizing these droplet libraries in various biological, chemical, or diagnostic assays.