Evaluating binding affinities by force stratification and force panning

• US 20050059091A1
• Filed: 10/04/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BioForce Nanosciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: BioForce Nanosciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Henderson, Eric, Mosher, Curtis
• Granted Patent: US 7,060,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.100
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/065 Purification, fragmentation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/807 Apparatus included in process claim, e.g. physical support structures

Abstract

The present invention is a method for selectively removing objects from a surface utilizing a probe. The probe is scanned over the surface utilizing a greater and greater relative amount of force so that a certain number of the objects are removed from the surface. The force required to remove the objects from the surface can be calculated utilizing Hook'"'"'s law and the spring constant of the probe. After removal of the objects that have a relatively weaker binding affinity with the surface, the remaining objects can be harvested, characterized, and subjected to further study.

Claims

1-9. -9. (Cancelled)

10. A method for determining a binding affinity between an object and one or more materials comprising:

obtaining a surface, the surface further comprising one or more materials deposited thereon;

affixing at least one object to be studied to the one or more materials deposited on the surface;

applying a force to at least one object to remove at least one object; and

calculating the binding affinity between the object and the corresponding material from the force applied to remove the object.

11-33. -33. (Cancelled)