Patent ID: 11953441
Assignee: CZ BIOHUB SF, LLC
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  A | IPC A  G

Claim 14:
15. A method of detection of a target molecule in a sample using an optical sensor system, the method comprising:
contacting the one or more molecular switches of an optical probe to the sample;
emitting the excitation light from the light source; and
measuring, using the detector, changes of the optical signals, thereby detecting a concentration of the target molecule in the sample;
wherein the optical sensor system comprises:
the optical probe;
a light source configured to emit the excitation light to be coupled into the optical waveguide of the optical probe;
a detector configured to (i) receive the optical signals produced by the one or more optical reporters that are transmitted through the optical waveguide, and (ii) detect changes of the optical signals, thereby allowing for detection of a concentration of the corresponding target molecule; and

wherein the optical probe comprises:
an optical waveguide having a first end and a second end, the first end configured to receive excitation light to be propagated through the optical waveguide and to be emitted from the second end or a middle region into a surrounding medium;
one or more molecular switches attached to a facet or a sidewall of the second end or the middle region of the optical waveguide, wherein the molecular switches are configured to change conformation upon binding to a corresponding target molecule; and
one or more optical reporters, the optical reporters attached to a respective molecular switch and configured, when exposed to the excitation light, to produce an optical signal that changes upon binding of the respective molecular switch to the corresponding target molecule in the surrounding medium, wherein the optical signal is coupled back into the optical waveguide and propagated through the optical waveguide to be emitted from the first end or second end;

wherein the optical reporters comprise a donor fluorophore and an acceptor fluorophore,
wherein the measuring comprises measuring a first optical signal at the emission wavelength of the donor fluorophore and a second optical signal at the emission wavelength of the acceptor fluorophore, and
wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal are at different levels when the molecular switch is not bound to the target molecule compared to when the molecular switch is bound to the target molecule.