Technology Platforms
CombiMatrix Platform
The
CombiMatrix platform consists of the CustomArray™ DNA Synthesizer and
CustomArray™ microarrays. CustomArray™ technology consists of a
modified semiconductor adapted for biological applications. The
integrated circuits built into CustomArray™ contain microelectrodes
that are individually addressable using embedded logic circuitry on the
microarray. Placed in a specially designed fluidic chamber, the
software digitally directs the molecular assembly of oligonucleotides.
During this process several thousand different oligonucleotide probes
can be synthesized simultaneously.
The CustomArray™ Synthesizer
offers researchers the ability to fabricate low, medium and high
density microarrays. The open architecture platform is easy to use and
enables researchers to synthesize novel applications, build from the
CombiMatrix list of pre-designed microarrays, or customize
microarrays. This also allows Iverson Genetics to custom create
microarray profiles for physicians/providers with patient bases with
specific needs. CustomArrays are used for genome-wide and focused Gene
Expression, SNP Genotyping, Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH),
Tiling, Chip-on-chip, MicroRNA, and Resequencing. CustomArrays gives
physicians the ability to integrate genetics into their medical
practice while providing a personal and unique diagnostic profile.
This methodology allows for a more preventative and personalized
healthcare treatment protocol.
CustomArray™ uses a specially
modified “CMOS” semiconductor to direct the molecular assembly of a
specific sequence of DNA bases in response to a digital command. Each
feature on the array (a microelectrode) is digitally addressed to
selectively generate acid, by means of an electrochemical reaction
which, in-turn, controls the detritylation reaction during
phosphoramidite synthesis. A software program is used to control the
microelectrodes, and thus, the detritylation pattern applied on the
chip during synthesis. The CombiMatrix ElectraSense™ instrument is
designed to provide data on the presence of material deposited on the
electrodes of a specially prepared CombiMatrix microarray after a
material sample has been hybridized on the microarray. This data is
read electronically by addressing the individual electrodes of the
microarray. The ElectraSense™ provides higher saturation limit up to
1000pM as compare to fluorescence at 500pM. The raw data is processed
along with information from the design file to provide automated data
extraction, background subtraction and data normalization.
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