US 9,310,363 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for forming of an automated sampling device for the detection of salmonella enterica utilizing an electrochemical aptamer biosensor

AssigneeSensor Kinesis Corporation

InventorsYehoshua Shachar, Winston Wu, Thomas Chen, Leslie Farkas, Brett Jordan, Paladin Luboff, Herwin Chan, Kyle Zimmerman

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

An aptamer-based solid-state electrochemical biosensor for label-free detection of Salmonella enterica serovars utilizing immobilized aptamers. The device is realized by forming a matrix array of parallel capacitors, thus allowing the realization of low-cost, portable, fully integrated devices. Protein-aptamer binding modulates the threshold voltage of a circuit, changing the impedance (capacitance) of the circuit. This circuit is further characterized by an electrode coded with a p-Si substrate, enhancing the affinity between the Salmonella outer membrane proteins (OMPs) and the aptamer. An aptamer embedded detection plate is configured within a testing lid device that fits a standard, commercially available polymer specimen jar. A sample is mixed with broth for incubation and cultivation of any present Salmonella bacteria to obtain acceptable concentration of the pathogen for testing. The information obtained can then be transmitted by wireless network.

Claims7

Dependent claims

An apparatus for detecting Salmonella enterica bacteria using an electrochemical aptamer-based sensor array comprising:

a sensor base plate;
a capacitive array disposed on the sensor base plate in a plurality of grooved channels;
a plurality of aptamer molecules disposed within the capacitive array, each of the plurality of aptamer molecules capable of binding to an indicator protein on an outer membrane of the Salmonella enterica, and wherein each aptamer molecule is immobilized to the capacitive array utilizing the Self-Assembled Monolayer (SAM) method;
a printed circuit board coupled to the capacitive array, the printed circuit board comprising means of interfacing and controlling the capacitive array, and
wherein the printed circuit board and capacitive array are powered directly or indirectly to an independent power supply through a USB connection;
a resistive heating element coupled to and powered by the printed circuit board;
a delivery system for delivering a fluid for analysis to the capacitive array, wherein the delivery system comprises a piezoelectric pump coupled to the sensor base plate to ensure proper liquid flow over the capacitive array;
and
a weatherproof enclosure sized and configured to house the apparatus, wherein the enclosure comprises a plurality of attachment brackets comprising means for allowing the enclosure to be coupled to the external surface of a shipping container,
wherein the plurality of attachment brackets of the enclosure further comprises means for the enclosure to fit within a pair of extended corrugations on the external surface of a standard shipping container, the enclosure comprising a profile less than that of the extended corrugations on the external surface of the standard shipping container.

7 more elements

An apparatus for testing for Salmonella enterica bacteria comprising:

a specimen cup;
a lid comprising an aptamer-based sensor array, the lid being removeably coupled to the specimen cup;
a base station comprising means for interfacing with the lid, wherein the base station comprises:
an electrochemical battery array;
a printed circuit board comprising a CPU and a flash memory;
a liquid crystal display screen;
a USB port comprising means for power acquisition and data communication:
a power port comprising means for connecting to an AC or DC power source ranging from 110 to 240 volts;
and
a wireless antenna comprising means for communicating in standard Wi-Fi and cellular phone frequencies;
a weatherproof enclosure sized and configured to house the apparatus including the base station, the lid, and the specimen cup, wherein the enclosure comprises:
a solar photo-electric cell;
an electrochemical battery coupled to the base station and comprising means for collecting power from the solar photo-electric cell and delivering that power to the base station;
an external booster antenna coupled to the base station via the USB port on the base station;
and
a plurality of attachment brackets comprising means for allowing the enclosure to be coupled to the external surface of a shipping container;
and
a strong permanent magnet coupled to the backside of the enclosure and comprising means for semi-permanent attachment of the enclosure to ferrous surfaces,
wherein the plurality of attachment brackets of the enclosure further comprises means for the enclosure to fit within a pair of extended corrugations on the external surface of a standard shipping container, the enclosure comprising a profile less than that of the extended corrugations on the external surface of the standard shipping container.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/764,828Filed 21 Apr 2010 · continuation in part
Priority: 7 Jan 2010
Published: US 2011/0162979 A17 Jul 2011
Granted: 12 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G01N 33/5438
Involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings: electrodes
G01N 33/56916
Bacteria: enterobacteria, e.g. shigella, salmonella, klebsiella, serratia
G01N 2333/255
From Enterobacteriaceae , e.g. Citrobacter, Serratia, Proteus, Providencia, Morganella, Yersinia: salmonella
G01N
Investigating or analysing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties

Family

Application12/684,025Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Jan 2010
US 2011/0162979 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Jul 2011
US 2011/0166033 A1Published application
US 9,329,173 B2Related patent
US 9,310,363 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.