An encoded particle array tool for multiplex bioassays

The detection of both gene function at the genomic scale and protein assays at a proteomic scale is developing into an essential tool in the discovery and development of new medicines. A wide variety of techniques have been used that allow the analyst to assess the information gathered from a SNP up to a fully developed immunoassay. Despite these advances, there remains an ongoing drive to keep the cost of research and development down to reduce the cost of bringing a new drug or diagnostic to market. The demand to carry out large-scale bioassay analysis using yet smaller reagent volume and at a very low cost per test is gaining much importance as seen in the growing need to perform multiplex bioassays. In this article, we describe an analytical system that is being developed to address such a need for multiplexing bioassays at a low, affordable cost providing a flexible alternative consumable to the current technologies. This novel system utilizes inexpensive fabricated polymeric material produced by standard MEMS technology, which allows the attachment, through a variety of coupling chemistries, of oligonucleotides, proteins, antibodies, and antigens. These can then be analyzed by simple scanning, with either a flow cytometer or a simple optical reader, providing a robust, sensitive microarray assay system.