Ultrasensitive SPR detection of miRNA-93 using antibody-enhanced and enzymatic signal amplification.

MiRNAs are endogenous noncoding RNA molecules. They play important gene-regulatory roles by binding to the mRNA of target genes thereby leading to either transcript degradation or translational repression. In virtually all diseases, distinct alterations of miRNA expression profiles have been found thus suggesting miRNAs as interesting biomarkers.

Universal Micromachining Platform and Basic Technologies for the Manufacture and Marking of Microphysiological Systems.

Micro Physiological Systems (MPS), also known as Multi-Organ-Chip, Organ-on-a-Chip, or Body-on-a-Chip, are advanced microfluidic systems that allow the cultivation of different types of cells and tissue in just one common circuit. Furthermore, they thus can also adjust the interaction of these different tissues. Perspectival MPS will replace animal testing.

Effective photodarkening suppression in Yb-doped fiber lasers by visible light injection.

Al-silicate fibers have excellent manufacturing quality. Unfortunately, high-Yb doping concentration may be limited by severe losses induced by photodarkening phenomenon. In this paper we demonstrate for the first time that Al-silicate Yb-doped fibers with high-inversion and doping concentration above 1 wt% can be successfully used by implementing a simple optical bleaching scheme.

'Human-on-a-chip' developments: a translational cutting-edge alternative to systemic safety assessment and efficiency evaluation of substances in laboratory animals and man?

Various factors, including the phylogenetic distance between laboratory animals and humans, the discrepancy between current in vitro systems and the human body, and the restrictions of in silico modelling, have generated the need for new solutions to the ever-increasing worldwide dilemma of substance testing. This review provides a historical sketch on the accentuation of this dilemma, and highlights fundamental limitations to the countermeasures taken so far. It describes the potential of recently-introduced microsystems to emulate human organs in 'organ-on-a-chip' devices.

DNA microarrays for hybridization detection by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy.

We report on the development of a new platform technology for the detection of genetic variations by means of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. TOPAS chips with integrated optics were exploited in combination with microfluidics. Within minutes, the detection of hybridization kinetics was achieved simultaneously at all spots of the DNA microarray.

Design and prototyping of a chip-based multi-micro-organoid culture system for substance testing, predictive to human (substance) exposure.

Dynamic miniaturized human multi-micro-organ bioreactor systems are envisaged as a possible solution for the embarrassing gap of predictive substance testing prior to human exposure. A rational approach was applied to simulate and design dynamic long-term cultures of the smallest possible functional human organ units, human "micro-organoids", on a chip the shape of a microscope slide. Each chip contains six identical dynamic micro-bioreactors with three different micro-organoid culture segments each, a feed supply and waste reservoirs.