DEVICE AND METHODS FOR LIQUID CRYSTAL-BASED BIOAGENT DETECTION
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A liquid crystal device for detecting the presence of a bioagent in a sample, comprising:
- (a) a liquid crystal;
(b) an aqueous phase positioned such that an interface exists between the liquid crystal and said aqueous phase; and
(c) a membrane containing a polymerized target of a bioagent, said membrane located at the interface between the liquid crystal and said aqueous phase wherein interaction of said bioagent with the polymerized target causes an orientation change in said liquid crystal thereby indicating the presence of the bioagent in the sample.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides liquid crystal-based devices and methods for bioagent detection. In certain aspects, the present invention is directed to devices and methods utilizing liquid crystals and membranes containing polymerized targets that can report the presence of bioagents including, but not limited to, enzymes, antibodies, and toxins.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A liquid crystal device for detecting the presence of a bioagent in a sample, comprising:
-
(a) a liquid crystal;
(b) an aqueous phase positioned such that an interface exists between the liquid crystal and said aqueous phase; and
(c) a membrane containing a polymerized target of a bioagent, said membrane located at the interface between the liquid crystal and said aqueous phase wherein interaction of said bioagent with the polymerized target causes an orientation change in said liquid crystal thereby indicating the presence of the bioagent in the sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for preparing a liquid crystal device for detecting the presence of a bioagent in a sample, comprising:
-
(a) dissolving a cross-linking agent into a liquid crystal, and (b) adding a target of a bioagent to an aqueous phase that contacts said liquid crystal to cause an interfacial reaction between the target and the cross-linking agent thereby forming a membrane containing a polymerized target at the interface of the liquid crystal, the polymerized target positioned to interact with the bioagent contacted with the membrane consequently causing an orientation change in the liquid crystal indicating the presence of the bioagent. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for detecting the presence of a bioagent in a sample, comprising:
-
(a) forming a membrane containing a polymerized target for a bioagent at an interface between a liquid crystal and an aqueous phase; and
(b) introducing a bioagent into the aqueous phase wherein interaction of the bioagent and polymerized target leads to a change in the orientational order of the liquid crystal, said orientational change indicating the presence of the bioagent. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification