Patent ID: 7598092

Claim:
A method for detecting a concentration of a member of a specific binding pair in a sample, the method comprising: positioning a cantilever array adjacent a surface in the presence of a sample, wherein the cantilever array comprises a plurality of cantilevers having a first member of a specific binding pair thereon and the surface comprises a second member of the specific binding pair; detecting a number of binding events between the first member of the specific binding pair on the plurality of cantilevers and the second member of the specific binding pair on the surface; and determining a concentration of the first and/or second member of the specific binding pair in the sample based on the detected number of binding events between the first member of the specific binding pair on the plurality of cantilevers and the second member of the specific binding pair on the surface wherein a binding event between the first member of the specific binding pair on one of the plurality of cantilevers and the second member of the specific binding pair on the surface causes deflection of a respective cantilever toward the surface, and detecting one of the binding events comprises: applying a force to at least one of the cantilever array and/or the surface in a direction generally opposite the other of the cantilever array and/or the surface; and detecting a separation of one or more of the plurality of cantilevers from the surface.