Method for characterizing affinity agents and related apparatus

An apparatus for characterizing analyte-specific affinity agents having affinity for an analyte, the apparatus comprising:

• an analyte receiver that receives the analyte;
• a surface upon which a library of candidate affinity agents is adhered, the surface being in fluid communication with the analyte receiver so that the analyte contacts the surface when the analyte is received at the analyte receiver, which contact causes the analyte to contact the surface to thereby expose the library of candidate affinity agents adhered to the surface to the analyte, and which contact causes selected ones of the candidate affinity agents to react with the analyte to form reaction products, and to create an output fluid that comprises the reaction products;
• and
• an analyzer that analyzes the output fluid to characterize the analyte-specific affinity agents associated with the respective reaction products.

An apparatus for characterizing analyte-specific affinity agents having affinity for an analyte, the apparatus comprising:

• an analyte receiver that receives the analyte;
• a surface upon which a library of candidate affinity agents comprising genomers is adhered, the surface being in fluid communication with the analyte receiver so that the analyte contacts the surface when the analyte is received at the analyte receiver, which contact causes the analyte to contact the surface to thereby expose the library of candidate affinity agents adhered to the surface to the analyte, and which contact causes selected ones of the candidate affinity agents to react with the analyte to form reaction products, and to create an output fluid that comprises the reaction products;
• and
• an analyzer that analyzes the output fluid to characterize the analyte-specific affinity agents associated with the respective reaction products.

A method for characterizing analyte-specific affinity agents having affinity for an analyte, the method comprising:

• providing a library of candidate affinity agents wherein the library of candidate affinity agents comprises genomers;
• providing an analyte, and exposing the analyte to the library of candidate affinity agents to thereby cause selected ones of the candidate affinity agents to react with the analyte to form reaction products, where the reaction products are associated with certain analyte-specific affinity agents;
• segregating the reaction products from the remainder of the library of candidate affinity agents;
• and
• amplifying the analyte-specific affinity agents associated with the reaction products to form an enhanced library of affinity agents to thereby characterize analyte-specific affinity agents.

A kit for characterizing analyte-specific affinity agents having affinity for an analyte, the kit comprising:

• an analyte receiver that receives the analyte;
• a surface upon which a library of candidate affinity agents is adhered, the surface being matable with the analyte receiver so that the analyte contacts the surface when the analyte is received at the analyte receiver, which contact causes the analyte to contact the surface to thereby expose the library of candidate affinity agents adhered to the surface to the analyte, and which contact causes selected ones of the candidate affinity agents to react with the analyte to form reaction products, and to create an output fluid that comprises the reaction products;
• and
• an analyzer for analyzing the output fluid to characterize the analyte-specific affinity agents associated with the respective reaction products.