Nicoya Lifesciences Inc.

Disclosed herein are compositions, sensors, and kits for a carboxymethyl dextran (CMD) based linker for label-free molecular analysis. Further disclosed are methods for synthesizing a CMD-based linker for label-free molecular analysis and method for using reagent kits to immobilize a ligand on a sensor including a CMD-based linker for label-free molecular analysis.

The present invention is directed to microfluidics systems, instruments, and cartridges including self-aligning optical fiber systems and methods of use thereof. More specifically, the disclosure describes a microfluidics instrument including an optical detection system, microfluidics cartridge, and a self-aligning optical fiber system capable of coupling the microfluidics instrument and the microfluidics cartridge. Further, the disclosure provides methods of optical detection operations using a microfluidics system.

Described is a digital microfluidics system and method for measuring an analyte concentration in a droplet. Droplet movement operations can be used to carry out biological, biochemical, and chemical reactions, measurements, and experiments and a light source and light detector or spectrophotometer can be used to transmit light through a droplet to determine the absorbance of light through the droplet to calculate a concentration of analyte in the droplet.

The present invention is directed to microfluidics systems, instruments, and cartridges including self-aligning optical fiber systems and methods of use thereof. More specifically, the disclosure describes a microfluidics instrument including an optical detection system, microfluidics cartridge, and a self-aligning optical fiber system capable of coupling the microfluidics instrument and the microfluidics cartridge. Further, the disclosure provides methods of optical detection operations using a microfluidics system.

The present invention is directed to an improved surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensors, improved SPR and LSPR sensor surface chemistry, and methods and systems for improved detection of analytes in SPR and LSPR. Use of the SPR and LSPR sensors described herein improves signal amplification, and thus, provides for higher signal-to-noise, in detection of various analytes, such as proteins, antibodies, carbohydrates, and nucleic acid molecules.

A digital microfluidic (DMF) system, DMF cartridge, and method including integrated refractive index (RI) sensing is disclosed. The digital microfluidic DMF system and DMF cartridge may include, for example, a RI sensor (or sensor surface) directly in the droplet operations gap of a DMF cartridge. The digital microfluidic DMF system may include, for example, the DMF cartridge, one or more illumination sources, one or more optical measurement devices, and a controller. Additionally, a method of using the DMF system and DMF cartridge that includes integrated RI sensing is provided.

Described are devices, compounds and methods for detecting an analyte in a sample. More particularly this disclosure provides SPR and LSPR sensors modified by NTA linkers for binding a ligand and/or analyte. The NTA linkers of the disclosure typically include a head (or “anchoring site”) for coupling to a surface of the SPR or LSPR sensor, a spacer, and one or more attachment sites on a distal end or ends of the spacer which couple to a ligand. The head may include a thiol for coupling the linker to a surface of the SPR or LSPR sensor. The spacer may be a carbon chain. PAG or PEG chain, or matrix material. The one or more attachment sites may be a nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) moiety capable of chelating a transition metal ion and binding the ligand.

Methods of solution-phase kinetic analysis on a digital microfluidic (DMF) device are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods of solution-phase kinetic analysis on a DMF device provide a DMF system including a DMF device (or cartridge) further including one or more electrode arrangements. The methods may utilize a variety of detection methods including surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence based techniques.

The present disclosure provides devices and methods for reducing the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in digital microfluidic (DMF) system. ROS may be reduced or entirely prevented through the introduction of ROS scavengers in the droplet operations gap of a DMF system. The mitigation of ROS in a DMF system may reduce or prevent the degradation of reagents, samples, and/or analytes as well as system components such as sensors. Additionally, this disclosure provides devices and methods for detecting and identifying ROS in a DMF system.

The present invention is directed to an improved surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensors, improved SPR and LSPR sensor surface chemistry, and methods and systems for improved detection of analytes in SPR and LSPR. Use of the SPR and LSPR sensors described herein improves signal amplification, and thus, provides for higher signal-to-noise, in detection of various analytes, such as proteins, antibodies, carbohydrates, and nucleic acid molecules.