Systems for allergen detection

• US 10,001,496 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inflammatix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Leuthardt, Eric C., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, Jr., John D., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Christine T
• Application Number:
  US11/906,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20080181820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,917 Days
• Field of Search: 436180, 422 681, 422 50
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00158 Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 Scheduling

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods that may be used for the detection of allergens. In some embodiments, a system includes circuitry for processing one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips configured for analysis of one or more allergen indicators; circuitry for detecting the one or more allergen indicators; and circuitry for comparing one or more detected concentration levels of the one or more allergen indicators to one or more concentration levels of the one or more allergen indicators that results in one or more allergic responses.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a microfluidic chip operatively coupled with at least one electronic device, the at least one electronic device including at least;

circuitry configured for detecting concentration level of an allergen indicator associated with one or more samples, the circuitry configured for detecting the concentration level calibrated to a specific individual based at least partially on a sensitivity of the specific individual to an allergen concentration level associated with the allergen indicator; and

circuitry configured for displaying the detected concentration level of allergen indicator relative to a scale that is calibrated with respect to the sensitivity of the specific individual based at least partly on the circuitry configured for detecting the concentration level of the allergen indicator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic chip comprises:

a microfluidic chip configured for processing one or more samples for the allergen indicator associated with an airborne allergen.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic chip comprises:

a microfluidic chip configured for processing one or more samples for the allergen indicator associated with a food product.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic chip comprises:

a microfluidic chip configured for processing one or more samples for the allergen indicator associated with one or more of the following;

weed, grass, tree, mite, animal, mold, fungi, insect, rubber, autoallergen, metal, chemical, and/or human autoallergen.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting concentration level of an allergen indicator associated with one or more samples comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting concentration level of an allergen indicator associated with one or more air samples, and

wherein the circuitry configured for displaying the detected concentration level of allergen indicator relative to a scale that is calibrated with respect to the sensitivity of the specific individual includes at least;

circuitry configured for displaying the detected concentration level of the allergen indicator and at least one risk level associated with the concentration level of the allergen indicator.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting concentration level of an allergen indicator associated with one or more samples comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting concentration level of an allergen indicator associated with one or more food samples.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for displaying the provides information associated with the allergen indicator.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for displaying the display unit an indicator of a presence or an absence of the allergen indicator.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for displaying the provides an identity of an allergen that corresponds to the allergen indicator.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for transmitting one or more signals to one or more recording units.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for transmitting information associated with the allergen indicator to at least one of one or more supplement stores or to one or more healthcare facilities.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for transmitting at least one unsafe-type indication to at least one remote location in response to a determination that the concentration level of the allergen indicator meets or exceeds one or more specified concentration levels that result in an allergic response with respect to the specific individual.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for accepting at least one indication of at least one specific food product allergen via at least one user interface.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for accepting at least one indication of at least one specific environmental allergen via at least one user interface.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for calibrating the scale with respect to the specific individual based at least partly on sensitivity of the specific individual to the allergen associated with the allergen indicator.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface;

an accepting unit operable to collect one or more food samples;

a reagent reservoir that includes a reagent including one or more magnetic antibodies that bind to the allergen indicator;

a sonicator operable to mix the reagent including the one or more magnetic antibodies with one or more food samples; and

a magnet associated with the microfluidic chip,

wherein the microfluidic chip includes a first channel portion and a second channel portion that are disposed parallel to one another for laminar-flow magnetic separation.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting concentration level of an allergen indicator associated with one or more samples, the circuitry configured for detecting the concentration level calibrated to a specific individual based at least partially on a sensitivity of the specific individual to an allergen concentration level associated with the allergen indicator comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting concentration level of an allergen indicator associated with one or more samples calibrated to detect an allergen indicator above a specific threshold, the specific threshold representative of the sensitivity of the specific individual.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for displaying the detected concentration level of the allergen indicator relative to a scale that is calibrated with respect to the sensitivity of the specific individual comprises:

circuitry configured for displaying the detected configured to indicate that the circuitry configured for detecting has detected an allergen indicator above a specific threshold, the specific threshold representative of the sensitivity of the specific individual.

19. A device comprising:

a microfluidic chip operatively coupled with at least one electronic device including non-transitory computer-readable medium bearing instructions that, when executed, program the at least one electronic device for at least;

detecting a concentration level of an allergen indicator associated with one or more samples, the detecting the concentration level calibrated to a specific individual based at least partially on a sensitivity of the specific individual; and

displaying the detected concentration level of allergen indicator relative to a scale that is calibrated with respect to the sensitivity of the specific individual based at least partly on the detecting the concentration level of the allergen indicator.