Patent ID: 7749705

Claim:
A method for detecting target DNA in a biological sample, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a reaction cell formed with an aluminum oxide surface, wherein said reaction cell is free of a gel or agarose layer, and wherein said aluminum oxide surface is coated with a first compound to ensure the correct orientation of capture probes, (b) adding to said cell a solution containing capture probes formed with a DNA sequence complementary to said target DNA and labeled with a second compound, wherein said first and second compound have affinity for each other whereby they are linkable together, (c) supplying said sample to said cell, (d) adding to said cell a solution containing target DNA detection probes formed with a DNA sequence complementary to said target DNA, (e) applying an electric current to said reaction cell to accelerate hybridization of said capture probes with said target DNA; (f) adding to said cell means for generating a detectable signal in a cell where target DNA has been captured by said capture probes and detected by said detection probes, and (g) detecting said signal.