Methods for allergen detection

• US 8,617,903 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inflammatix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Leuthardt, Eric C., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Christine T
• Application Number:
  US11/699,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20080182339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,528 Days
• Field of Search: 422/100, 436/181
• US Class Current: 436/174
• 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 33/02 Food
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25875 Gaseous sample or with change of physical state

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods that may be used for the detection of allergens.

Claims

1. A method at least partially implemented using one or more computer processors, the method comprising:

receiving information identifying at least one allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual;

determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples; and

outputting at least one unsafe-type indicator for display if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving information identifying at least one allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual comprises:

receiving information identifying at least one airborne allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one airborne allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving information identifying at least one allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual comprises:

receiving information identifying at least one peanut-type allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one peanut-type allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples comprises:

determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more air samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more air samples.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples comprises:

determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more food samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more food samples.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting at least one unsafe-type indicator for display if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual comprises:

displayably outputting (i) the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples and (ii) at least one unsafe-type indicator if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting at least one unsafe-type indicator for display if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual comprises:

displayably outputting (i) identification information associated with the at least one allergen indicator and (ii) at least one unsafe-type indicator if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting one or more signals to one or more recording units.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples comprises:

determining at least partly using one or more detection units and at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples comprises:

detecting at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying one or more results with one or more display units.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting at least one unsafe-type indicator for display if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual comprises:

displayably outputting (i) at least one indication of a presence or an absence of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples and (ii) at least one unsafe-type indicator if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving information identifying at least one allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual comprises:

receiving information identifying at least one food allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one food allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples comprises:

determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more food samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one food allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more food samples.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the outputting at least one unsafe-type indicator for display if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual comprises:

displayably outputting at least one indicator relative to at least one color of at least one color scale that is associated with one or more unsafe levels if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one food allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more food samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one food allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

16. One or more non-transitory media bearing one or more instructions for facilitating operations comprising:

receiving information identifying at least one allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual;

determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples; and

outputting at least one unsafe-type indicator for display if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

17. A system comprising:

at least one article of manufacture bearing one or more instructions for facilitating operations including at least;

receiving information identifying at least one allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual;

determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples; and

outputting at least one unsafe-type indicator for display if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.

18. A system comprising:

circuitry configured for receiving information identifying at least one allergen indicator affecting an individual and at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual;

circuitry configured for determining at least partly in response to processing of one or more samples with one or more microfluidic chips at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples; and

circuitry configured for outputting at least one unsafe-type indicator for display if the at least one concentration amount of the at least one allergen indicator in at least some of the one or more samples meets or exceeds the at least one concentration level of the at least one allergen indicator that produces at least one allergic response in the individual.