System and method for pathogen detection using multiple-sized polymer-coated beads within lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals

A method for the rapid detection of ligands in a material test sample, the method comprising:

• incubating a material test sample having a preselected quantity of antibody-coated first receptors or beads each having a size of 3 microns or less suspended therein for a preselected period of time at a preselected temperature;
• collecting the first receptors;
• rinsing the first receptors with a saline solution;
• resuspending the rinsed first receptors and a preselected quantity of second receptors, each of the second receptors having a size of 3 microns or greater, in a preselected quantity of saline solution;
• incubating the saline solution and the first and second receptors suspended therein for a preselected period of time at a preselected temperature;
• recollecting the first and second receptors;
• re-rinsing the first and second receptors with a saline solution;
• resuspending the rinsed first and second receptors in a preselected quantity of fresh saline solution;
• mixing a preselected quantity of the receptors with a lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal material (LCLC);
• introducing the mixture of receptors and liquid crystal into a test cell, the test cell including a pair of opposed substrates positioned therein and spaced apart at a preselected distance;
• orienting the liquid crystal in a homeotropic orientation with respect to the substrates;
• treating a preselected quantity of first receptors having a size of 3 microns or less with a ligand, bacteria or pathogenic agent of interest;
• introducing the treated receptors into the test cell;
• positioning the test cell intermediate a pair of crossed polarizers spaced apart at a preselected distance and adapted to receive unpolarized light from a light source;
• illuminating the test cell with polarized light;
• and
• measuring the quantity of light transmission zones through the test cell.