Patent ID: 11892406
Assignee: DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC B  G

Claim 0:
1. A method of assaying permeation of a test molecule across a lipid bilayer that employs a microfluidic device comprising:
a substrate having at least one concave microcavity defining an aperture and having a metallic surface, and a liquid disposed within the microcavity;
a lipid bilayer suspended across the aperture; and
a microfluidic channel containing a liquid disposed on top of the substrate in fluid communication with the lipid bilayer,
in which the liquid in the microcavity is separated from the liquid in the microfluidic channel by the suspended lipid bilayer,, the method comprising the steps of:
passing a liquid containing a test molecule across the microfluidic channel;
monitoring the intensity of a Raman or fluorescent signal from the test molecule as it permeates across the lipid bilayer and into the liquid in the microcavity and arrives at a metal enhanced plasmonic field within the microcavity by plasmonically-enhanced Raman or fluorescent spectroscopy; and
determining an arrival time of the test molecule in the liquid in the microcavity, wherein the arrival time is a period of time calculated from when the test molecule is administered at a proximal interface of the lipid bilayer until the test molecule reaches the metal enhanced plasmonic field within the microcavity.