Patent ID: 8148092

Claim:
A method for performing a living cell assay, said method comprising the steps of: providing a microplate with a well containing a waveguide grating-based biosensor; placing a cell medium with a first living-cell type within the well to cover the waveguide grating-based biosensor; culturing the first living-cell type on the surface of the waveguide grating-based biosensor; applying a solution containing a known agonist or antagonist compound of a specific receptor into the cell medium located on the surface of the waveguide grating-based biosensor; interrogating the waveguide grating-based biosensor such that an evanescent electromagnetic field extends into the first living-cell type which enables a time dependent response to be obtained, where the time dependent response indicates a mass redistribution response within the first living-cell type; and analyzing the mass redistribution response to determine if a specific receptor has been expressed in the first living-cell type.