RT-PCR book review
"This volume should be of utmost interest to all investigators interested and involved in using RT-PCR ... the RT-PCR protocols covered in this book will be of interest to most, if not all, investigators engaged in research that uses this important technique ... a well balanced book covering the many potential uses of real-time PCR ... valuable for all those interested in RT-PCR." ... read more
from Doodys reviews 2009
Further reading: Real-Time PCR: Current Technology and Applications
from Doodys reviews 2009
Further reading: Real-Time PCR: Current Technology and Applications
Labels: book review, real-time PCR, RT-PCR
DNA microarrays
DNA microarray is a multiplex technology used in molecular biology, medicine and bioscience. A microarray an arrayed series of thousands of microscopic spots of DNA on a small piece of glass or silicon. These are commonly known as gene chips, biochips or "lab on a chip".
A new two-volume book "Lab-on-a-Chip Technology" was published recently. The book describes the recent innovations in the microarray field and the applications in the fields of medicine, molecular biology, biotechnology and bioscience.
Lab-on-a-Chip Technology: Biomolecular Separation and Analysis ISBN: 978-1-904455-47-9
Lab-on-a-Chip Technology: Fabrication and Microfluidics ISBN: 978-1-904455-46-2
CURRENT BOOKS OF INTEREST
Metagenomics: Theory, Methods and Applications
Aspergillus: Molecular Biology and Genomics
Environmental Molecular Microbiology
Neisseria: Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis
Frontiers in Dengue Virus Research
ABC Transporters in Microorganisms
Pili and Flagella
Lab-on-a-Chip Technology: Biomolecular Separation and Analysis
Lab-on-a-Chip Technology: Fabrication and Microfluidics
Bacterial Polysaccharides
Microbial Toxins
Acanthamoeba
Bacterial Secreted Proteins
Lactobacillus
Mycobacterium
Real-Time PCR
Clostridia
Plant Pathogenic Bacteria
Biopolymers
Plasmids
Pasteurellaceae
Vibrio cholerae
Pathogenic Fungi
Helicobacter pylori
Corynebacteria
Staphylococcus
Leishmania
Archaea
Legionella
RNA and the Regulation of Gene Expression
Molecular Oral Microbiology
A new two-volume book "Lab-on-a-Chip Technology" was published recently. The book describes the recent innovations in the microarray field and the applications in the fields of medicine, molecular biology, biotechnology and bioscience.
Lab-on-a-Chip Technology: Biomolecular Separation and Analysis ISBN: 978-1-904455-47-9
Lab-on-a-Chip Technology: Fabrication and Microfluidics ISBN: 978-1-904455-46-2
CURRENT BOOKS OF INTEREST
Metagenomics: Theory, Methods and Applications
Aspergillus: Molecular Biology and Genomics
Environmental Molecular Microbiology
Neisseria: Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis
Frontiers in Dengue Virus Research
ABC Transporters in Microorganisms
Pili and Flagella
Lab-on-a-Chip Technology: Biomolecular Separation and Analysis
Lab-on-a-Chip Technology: Fabrication and Microfluidics
Bacterial Polysaccharides
Microbial Toxins
Acanthamoeba
Bacterial Secreted Proteins
Lactobacillus
Mycobacterium
Real-Time PCR
Clostridia
Plant Pathogenic Bacteria
Biopolymers
Plasmids
Pasteurellaceae
Vibrio cholerae
Pathogenic Fungi
Helicobacter pylori
Corynebacteria
Staphylococcus
Leishmania
Archaea
Legionella
RNA and the Regulation of Gene Expression
Molecular Oral Microbiology
Labels: biochip, DNA microarray, DNA microarrays, gene chip, lab on a chip, microarray
Potential of LOC
It is a challenge to fully describe the fast-moving field of LOC. However, in a recent publication Herold and Rasooly (Eds) present descriptions of some of the many types of LOC, including fabrication and application details, and give the reader a sense of the range of LOC technologies and the enormous potential that these devices possess.
The main types and the critical elements of LOC systems are discussed from both theoretical and experimental points of view, with special emphasis on technical and experimental detailed that may enable the reader to reproduce the LOC system described and conduct similar experiments. The huge range of applications in molecular biology and molecular diagnostics and testing are explored in depth.
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology
Further reading:
The main types and the critical elements of LOC systems are discussed from both theoretical and experimental points of view, with special emphasis on technical and experimental detailed that may enable the reader to reproduce the LOC system described and conduct similar experiments. The huge range of applications in molecular biology and molecular diagnostics and testing are explored in depth.
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology
Further reading:
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 1)
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
- Molecular Biology recommended reading
Labels: lab on a chip, Lab-on-a-Chip Technology, LOC
LOC fabrication technologies
In general LOC systems can be divided into three main categories based on materials and the fabrication technologies used for those materials: polymer systems, glass systems, and silicon systems. Silicon based LOC systems utilize fabrication techniques that grew out of integrated circuit (IC) fabrication technologies. Notable properties of silicon include its electrical conductivity and the wealth of techniques that have been developed for fabrication, surface treatment, and bonding.
Polymer based LOC systems are a more recent development and there exist many fabrication methods, depending on the polymer used. PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) is sold as a twocomponent liquid that hardens into a rubbery solid when mixed together. PDMS can be used with a surface patterned master to create half of an LOC device which is then completed by sealing the PDMS to a cover (e.g. to a glass slide). The surface patterned master can be micromanufactured from silicon or via soft lithography using a light sensitive mould material (e.g. SU-8). Many other manufacturing methods exist for polymers including embossing, lamination, injection moulding, laser machining, as well as all of the tradition direct machining methods (e.g. drilling or milling).
Glass-based LOC system have the advantage that more is known about biochemical interactions with glass than with any other material. Many surface treatments exist for glass, and it has excellent thermal and optical properties. However, glass is more difficult to machine and designs based on glass need to adapt to the limited machining methods available.
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
Further reading:
Polymer based LOC systems are a more recent development and there exist many fabrication methods, depending on the polymer used. PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) is sold as a twocomponent liquid that hardens into a rubbery solid when mixed together. PDMS can be used with a surface patterned master to create half of an LOC device which is then completed by sealing the PDMS to a cover (e.g. to a glass slide). The surface patterned master can be micromanufactured from silicon or via soft lithography using a light sensitive mould material (e.g. SU-8). Many other manufacturing methods exist for polymers including embossing, lamination, injection moulding, laser machining, as well as all of the tradition direct machining methods (e.g. drilling or milling).
Glass-based LOC system have the advantage that more is known about biochemical interactions with glass than with any other material. Many surface treatments exist for glass, and it has excellent thermal and optical properties. However, glass is more difficult to machine and designs based on glass need to adapt to the limited machining methods available.
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
Further reading:
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 1)
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
- Molecular Biology recommended reading
Labels: lab on a chip, Lab-on-a-Chip Technology, LOC
Liquid flow in LOC Systems
Liquid flow is an essential element of most LOC systems. Liquid flow can be single-phase flow through microchannels or multi-phase flow of droplets on a surface. For single phase flow, the flow can be pressure driven, in which the pressure driving force is supplied by an external pump, or the fluid can be pumped by electroosmotic means where the motion of liquid is induced by an applied axial potential along a capillary tube or microchannel. Electroosmotic pumping depends on the electric double layer that forms in an electrolyte adjacent to a charged surface.
Alternately, individual droplets can be moved and manipulated on a surface (e.g. combined, separated or transported) by electric fields. Droplets form on a surface because the geometry of a droplet minimizes the energy of the system (including the energy of the liquid surface, exposed to the vapour phase, and the energy of the attraction between the liquid and the solid surface). Droplets can be manipulated on a surface in two different ways: 1) electrowetting, and 2) dielectrophoresis. Both of these techniques are actuated by manipulating electric fields around the droplets.
Electrowetting is based on the attractive forces between a solid surface and a liquid. When the attraction between the liquid and the solid surface is weak (hydrophobic for an aqueous system), then the droplet tends toward a spherical shape due to the dominance of surface tension energy. The surface force interaction with the fluid (i.e. the hydrophobicity) can be controlled by electric fields (electrowetting).
Dielectrophoresis requires alternating (AC) fields which induce a dipole in a discrete droplet. The droplet then experiences a net force due to the induced dipole when the frequency of the AC field is selected appropriately. Dielectrophoresis can be used to manipulate droplets on a surface using an array of surface electrodes, similar to that required for electrowetting.
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
Further reading:
Alternately, individual droplets can be moved and manipulated on a surface (e.g. combined, separated or transported) by electric fields. Droplets form on a surface because the geometry of a droplet minimizes the energy of the system (including the energy of the liquid surface, exposed to the vapour phase, and the energy of the attraction between the liquid and the solid surface). Droplets can be manipulated on a surface in two different ways: 1) electrowetting, and 2) dielectrophoresis. Both of these techniques are actuated by manipulating electric fields around the droplets.
Electrowetting is based on the attractive forces between a solid surface and a liquid. When the attraction between the liquid and the solid surface is weak (hydrophobic for an aqueous system), then the droplet tends toward a spherical shape due to the dominance of surface tension energy. The surface force interaction with the fluid (i.e. the hydrophobicity) can be controlled by electric fields (electrowetting).
Dielectrophoresis requires alternating (AC) fields which induce a dipole in a discrete droplet. The droplet then experiences a net force due to the induced dipole when the frequency of the AC field is selected appropriately. Dielectrophoresis can be used to manipulate droplets on a surface using an array of surface electrodes, similar to that required for electrowetting.
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
Further reading:
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 1)
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
- Molecular Biology recommended reading
Labels: lab on a chip, Lab-on-a-Chip Technology, LOC
Miniaturization of LOC Systems
LOC systems can be miniaturized so that they can be integrated into various pieces of equipment in the medical, industrial, military and public safety fields. Miniaturization can enhance utility in many ways including allowing portability for field applications, providing multiple assays in one instrument (e.g. blood analyser for medical offices), and minimizing expensive reagents.
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
Further reading:
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
Further reading:
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 1)
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
- Molecular Biology recommended reading
Labels: lab on a chip, Lab-on-a-Chip Technology, LOC, miniaturization
LOC-based diagnostics
LOC-based diagnostics can be used for point of care testing where state-of-the-art molecular analysis is required without requiring a state-of-the-art laboratory. Diverse biomedical applications and biohazard detection can be carried out in the field. Biomedical applications include medical screening, testing and diagnostics at point of care by primary care providers. Biohazard detection, including pathogens and toxins, encompasses applications in food testing, public health, and biosecurity.
LOC systems can be used for a variety of analytical applications including DNA amplification and analysis, quantitative immunoassays, enzymatic activity assays and other analytical approaches which are done today mainly in centralized, dedicated laboratories with complex and expensive equipment by highly trained personnel. Rapid LOC analysis can provide immediate interactive information to health care providers that can be incorporated into the planning of patient care. LOC-based diagnostics have the potential to improve the rates of earlier detection of cancer and other diseases with attendant improved prognosis. LOC technologies are projected to be extremely useful for enhancing health care delivery in the community setting and to underserved populations especially in remote areas.
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
Further reading:
LOC systems can be used for a variety of analytical applications including DNA amplification and analysis, quantitative immunoassays, enzymatic activity assays and other analytical approaches which are done today mainly in centralized, dedicated laboratories with complex and expensive equipment by highly trained personnel. Rapid LOC analysis can provide immediate interactive information to health care providers that can be incorporated into the planning of patient care. LOC-based diagnostics have the potential to improve the rates of earlier detection of cancer and other diseases with attendant improved prognosis. LOC technologies are projected to be extremely useful for enhancing health care delivery in the community setting and to underserved populations especially in remote areas.
from Herold and Rasooly (Eds) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
Further reading:
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 1)
- Lab-on-a-Chip Technology (Vol. 2)
- Molecular Biology recommended reading
Labels: diagnostics, lab on a chip, Lab-on-a-Chip Technology, LOC, molecular diagnostics
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