Patent ID: 9594081
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: G01N

Claim:
1. A method for detecting a high quality biological molecule in a sample, the method comprising: (a) introducing a fluid comprising a plurality of magnetic particles, a decoy comprising an anchor labelled with a tag, and a sample suspected of containing a high quality biological molecule labelled with the tag, wherein the tag of the high quality biological molecule is accessible, into a fluid chamber, said magnetic particles being coated with a first binding agent that specifically binds to the tag, wherein at least one surface of the fluid chamber comprises a flexural plate wave device capable of emitting an output signal, wherein the flexural plate wave device has a membrane that is capable of vibrating, and wherein a second binding agent that specifically binds to the anchor of the decoy is attached to the membrane; (b) applying a retractable source of magnetic flux positioned external to the fluid chamber close to the membrane to create a significant magnetic field gradient to attract at least one of the plurality of magnetic particles in the fluid toward the membrane; (c) flowing a solution through the fluid chamber to remove magnetic particles not specifically bound to the membrane by the second binding agent; (d) obtaining an output signal by said flexural plate wave device that corresponds to a number of the magnetic particles specifically bound to the membrane; and (e) comparing the output signal to a control output signal obtained by performing steps (a)-(d) in the absence of the sample suspected of containing the high quality biological molecule; wherein a change in the output signal as compared to the control output signal indicates that a high quality biological molecule is present in the sample.