Patent ID: 8936946
Filing Date: 2015-01-20
Classification: C12Q,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting the presence of a target analyte in a sample, the method comprising: (a) providing a biologically enhanced, electrically active magnetic (BEAM) nanoparticle composition comprising (i) a particulate composition comprising: a conductive polymer bound to magnetic nanoparticles, and (ii) a binding pair member bound to the conductive polymer of the particulate composition, wherein the binding pair member is complementary to the target analyte, the particulate composition ranges in size from about 1 nm to about 500 nm, and the weight ratio of conductive polymer to magnetic nanoparticles in the particulate composition ranges from about 0.1 to about 1; (b) contacting the BEAM nanoparticle composition with the sample for a time sufficient to bind any target analyte in the sample to the binding pair member of the BEAM nanoparticles, thereby forming an analyte-nanoparticle complex; (c) applying a magnetic field to the sample and removing a portion of the sample that is substantially free from the analyte-nanoparticle complex, thereby forming a sample concentrate that contains substantially all of the analyte-nanoparticle complex; and, (d) determining the presence of the target analyte in the sample by detecting the analyte-nanoparticle complex in the sample concentrate.