Lecture 3

Question 1

What are biochips also known as?

Answer 1

Bio-microarray devices.

Question 2

What are the three main types of biochips?

Answer 2

DNA microarrays, protein microarrays, and microfluidic chips.

Question 3

What can biochips be used for?

Answer 3

Large-scale genomic and proteomic analyses, including protein profiling to distinguish between normal cells and cancer cells.

Question 4

What is multiplexing?

Answer 4

The simultaneous measurement of different substances from a single sample.

Question 5

Why is multiplexing important for in-vitro clinical diagnostics?

Answer 5

It is central to disease diagnosis and treatment by analyzing multiple analytes or biomarkers.

Question 6

What techniques are used in multiplexing in central labs and next-generation immunosensors?

Answer 6

Mass spectrometry (e.g., MALDI-MS), PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, SIMOA, and LUMINEX.

Question 7

What is the Alere Inc. Triage® platform?

Answer 7

A multiplexed point-of-care testing device using lateral flow assays (LFAs) with optical or electrochemical readouts.

Question 8

What tests can the Triage platform be used for?

Answer 8

BNP Test, D-Dimer Test, Cardiac Panel, and TOX Drug Screen.

Question 9

What are the three different approaches to multiplexing?

Answer 9

Spatial separation
Regional separation
Labels (e.g., enzymes, beads, dyes)

Question 10

What are genomic arrays used for?

Answer 10

Detection of fluorescently labeled material, including tissues, cells, and biomolecules.

Question 11

What are the types of microarrays?

Answer 11

DNA, protein, and tissue microarrays.

Question 12

In what areas is multiplexing being used?

Answer 12

Toxicology, point-of-care genotyping, forensic, clinical, and workplace toxicology screening.

Question 13

What can biochip arrays detect?

Answer 13

Over 600 drugs and drug metabolites.

Question 14

What are array-based systems used for in clinical diagnostics?

Answer 14

High-throughput multiplexing using high-density microspots and ink-jet printing.

Question 15

What is the sensitivity range of the SIMOA® platform?

Answer 15

Detect analytes in the femtomolar range (10 fg/ml to 1 pg/ml).

Question 16

How does the sensitivity of SIMOA® compare to traditional ELISA methods?

Answer 16

It is significantly more sensitive.

Question 17

What is a significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 17

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), specifically the Apo E4 isoform on chromosome 19.

Question 18

What does the Randox Apo E4 Array measure?

Answer 18

44 analytes associated with nervous system dysfunctions, including total ApoE and ApoE4.

Question 19

What are microfluidic µPADs used for?

Answer 19

Development of multiplexed LFAs, such as a device for monitoring liver status in resource-poor settings.

Question 20

How do bead-based systems achieve multiplexing?

Answer 20

Using beads of different sizes, materials, or surface functionalities distinguished by size, shape, or color.

Question 21

What is flow cytometry used for?

Answer 21

High-throughput quantification of many different analytes from the same sample.

Question 22

What are the challenges of traditional flow cytometry?

Answer 22

Long turnaround times, expense, maintenance, and the need for skilled expertise.

Question 23

What areas are focused on in the development of a portable microflow cytometer?

Answer 23

Focusing particles in the microfluidic channel, miniaturization of fluid-handling components, miniaturization of optics, and integration and applications development.

Question 24

How does the silica fiber microflow cytometer work?

Answer 24

Uses a circular capillary for cell transport to a micro-chamber with light delivered and fluorescence captured via optical fibers.

Question 25

What will future research focus on in biochips for point-of-care diagnostics?

Answer 25

Development of label-free technologies.