LabAutomation 2006 - SLAS

MP61
Shalini Prasad
Portland State University
Portland, Oregon
prasads@ecs.pdx.edu
Where Laboratory Technologies Emerge and Merge
Co-Author(s)
SudhaPrasanna Kumar, Padigi,
Portland State University
Tunable Nano Plasmons Based Micro cavity Bio-Chemical Sensors
Micro cavity based high quality factor (Q) technology has been employed in telecommunications and data transfer for rapid, high bandwidth
information exchange. The fundamental micro cavity technology has been modified and integrated with nano plasmonics and applied
towards the development of highly sensitive, broad spectrum bio-chemical sensors for label free detection. The high Q technology allows
for rapid detection of the chemical analytes from an air and water based environment. The micro cavities are selectively studded with
metallic nanoparticles that are made sensitive to specific agents in the atmosphere. The nano structured surfaces offer dual capabilities.
The first: larger surface area to facilitate better interaction, the second: amplification of the detected signal by surface plasmonics. The
nanoparticle surface functionalized micro cavities are excited by an input coherent light source. This is coupled in to each cavity through
optical fibers by evanescent coupling. The interaction of the chemical agent with the micro cavity surface results in a binding event similar
to antibody-antigen binding. This in turn results in the modification of the intensity and/or wavelength of the input coupled light. The
modified light is coupled out and analyzed to yield unique spectral identifiers associated with specific chemical agents. These sensors
demonstrate very low threshold sensitivity in the order of parts per billion for a wide range of agents including but not limited to ammonia,
nitrous oxide to hydrocarbons such as propane and butane.
MP62
Giovanna Prout
Aurora Discovery, Inc.
San Diego, California
giovanna_prout@auroradiscovery.com
Tackling the Challenges of Cell-Based Assays in High-Throughput and High-Content
Screening
High-throughput screening (HTS) and the more recent technology of High-content screening (HCS) rely on the ability to screen compounds
using cell-based assays. Using live cells can more effectively evaluate a drugs toxicity, potency and overall efficiency, in addition to looking
at other specific cellular responses. Yet, despite the progression towards high-throughput and high-content screening, many cell-based
assays are still performed in 96-well and 384-well microplates. The current dispensing instrumentation does not address the specific
needs of cell-based assays and is a limiting factor in the progression toward high-throughput and high-content screening. Challenges that
arise with the current dispensing instrumentation are the ability to rapidly and reliably deliver sensitive cell lines to high-density microplates
through reduction of cell shearing, reducing bubble effects due to high protein media and smaller well sizes, decreasing the amount of
system dead volume to conserve reagent costs, and limiting the evaporation effects due to long incubation times. Aurora Discovery’s
BioRAPTR Flying Reagent Dispenser (BioRAPTR FRD) offers a novel solution for precision dispensing of cells into 384-well, 1536-well,
and 3456-well microplates using efficient, non-contact micro-solenoid valve dispensing starting at 100nL volumes. Aurora Discovery’s
BioRAPTR (BioRAPTR) combined with Aurora Discovery’s ChemLib Microplate technology addresses the challenges of cell-based assays
and is a reliable and effective solution for miniaturization for high-throughput and high-content screening.
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