Patent ID: 6461808
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for detecting a molecular or cellular event in a sample solution using a pipette-loaded bioassay assembly, the method comprising the steps of:providing a measurement probe operable to support the propagation of an electromagnetic signal at a frequency at or above 1 MHz and below 1000 GHz, the measurement probe comprising a probe head located at a proximate end of the measurement probe and a connecting end located at a distal end of the measurement probe, the connecting end configured to receive an incident test signal from a signal source and the probe head configured to launch the incident test signal; aspirating a pipette tip with a sample plug comprising a predefined volume of the sample solution, the pipette tip comprising a sample interrogation region formed from a material that is substantially transparent to the incident test signal, wherein at least a portion of the aspirated sample plug is contained within the sample interrogation region of the pipette tip; positioning the pipette tip such that the sample interrogation region is electromagnetically coupled to the measurement probe; illuminating the sample interrogation region of the pipette tip with the incident test signal, whereby the incident test signal is launched from the probe head and electromagnetically couples through the sample interrogation region of the pipette tip to the molecular or cellular event occurring within the sample plug, wherein the interaction of the incident test signal with the molecular or cellular event produces a modulated test signal; and analyzing said modulated test signal to detect said molecular or cellular event.