Droplet-interface bilayer and lipid bilayer membrane compositions stabilized with an amphiphilic polymer are disclosed. Methods of making and using the compositions are also disclosed.

The present disclosure provides a system comprising a communication interface and computer for assigning a label to the biomolecule fingerprint, wherein the label corresponds to a biological state. The present disclosure also provides a sensor arrays for detecting biomolecules and methods of use. In some embodiments, the sensor arrays are capable of determining a disease state in a subject.

The present disclosure provides biochips and methods for making biochips. A biochip can comprise a nanopore in a membrane (e.g., lipid bilayer) adjacent or in proximity to an electrode. Methods are described for forming the membrane and inserting the nanopore into the membrane. The biochips and methods can be used for nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) sequencing. The present disclosure also describes methods for detecting, sorting, and binning molecules (e.g., proteins) using biochips.

The present disclosure provides a system comprising a communication interface and computer for assigning a label to the biomolecule fingerprint, wherein the label corresponds to a biological state. The present disclosure also provides a sensor arrays for detecting biomolecules and methods of use. In some embodiments, the sensor arrays are capable of determining a disease state in a subject.

The present disclosure provides a system comprising a communication interface and computer for assigning a label to the biomolecule fingerprint, wherein the label corresponds to a biological state. The present disclosure also provides a sensor arrays for detecting biomolecules and methods of use. In some embodiments, the sensor arrays are capable of determining a disease state in a subject.

The present disclosure provides biochips and methods for making biochips. A biochip can comprise a nanopore in a membrane (e.g., lipid bilayer) adjacent or in proximity to an electrode. Methods are described for forming the membrane and insert-ing the nanopore into the membrane. The biochips and methods can be used for nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) sequencing. The present disclosure also describes methods for detecting, sorting, and binning molecules (e.g., proteins) using biochips.

Disclosed is a sensor chip for detecting a target molecule in a sample. The sensor chip includes a substrate having a surface and a layer of hydrogel particles immobilized on the substrate surface at two or more locations on the surface, wherein the hydrogel particles at a first location comprise a plurality of first probe molecules bound to the particles and the hydrogel particles at a second location comprise a plurality of second probe molecules bound to the particles. Systems that include the sensor chip, as well as methods of preparing and using the sensor chip, are also disclosed.

Provided is a method of detecting the presence of an anti-Zika virus (ZIKV) antibody in a sample, including contacting a sample with a suspension having a plurality of microspheres wherein individual microspheres are conjugated to a peptide and the peptide includes a ZIKV peptide selected from the group including ZIKV NS1, ZIKV NS5, and ZIKV envelope protein, forming a first incubated suspension by incubating said sample with said suspension to permit binding of anti-ZIKV antibodies present in the sample to said microspheres, forming a second incubated suspension by contacting said first incubated suspension with an anti-ZIKV antibody detecting-reagent to permit binding of the anti-ZIKV antibody detecting reagent to said microspheres, removing from the second incubated suspension anti-ZIKV antibody detecting-reagent molecules that are not bound to said microspheres, and detecting the presence of anti-ZIKV antibody detecting-reagent molecules in the second incubated suspension. Also provided is a kit containing reagents and compositions for performing the foregoing method.

Sub-millimeter scale three-dimensional (3D) structures are disclosed with customizable chemical properties and/or functionality. The 3D structures are referred to as drop-carrier particles. The drop-carrier particles allow the selective association of one solution (i.e., a dispersed phased) with an interior portion of each of the drop-carrier particles, while a second non-miscible solution (i.e., a continuous phase) associates with an exterior portion of each of the drop-carrier particles due to the specific chemical and/or physical properties of the interior and exterior regions of the drop-carrier particles. The combined drop-carrier particle with the dispersed phase contained therein is referred to as a particle-drop. The selective association results in compartmentalization of the dispersed phase solution into sub-microliter-sized volumes contained in the drop-carrier particles. The compartmentalized volumes can be used for single-molecule assays as well as single-cell, and other single-entity assays.

Presentation of membrane proteins to host immune systems has been a challenging problem due to complexity arising from the poor in vivo stability of the membrane-mimetic media often used for solubilizing the membrane proteins. The Inventors report the use of functionalized, biocompatible nanoparticles as substrates to guide the formation of proteoliposomes that can present many copies of membrane proteins in a unidirectional manner. The approach was demonstrated to present the membrane-proximal region of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. These nanoparticle-supported liposomes are broadly applicable as membrane antigen vehicles for inducing host immune responses. In some instances, the technology supports generation of antibodies that do not generate an immunogenic response in comparison to conventional protein presentation (i.e., liposome).