Originating with innovations and insights by Pooncharas Tipgunlankant, NRI has developed an integrated a family of technologies to provide foundations for and facilitate next-generation developments in microplate technologies.
Tipgunlankant’s innovation was driven by impeding problems and unmeetable needs arising in microplate-based human cancer cell-culture NO-donor photosensitizer experiments she designed and performed in study of the “Double-Edge Sword” problem of nitric oxide in human cancer processes and therapies. Her valuable insightful innovations prevent the need for removal of environmentally-sensitive cell culture microplates from closely regulated incubator environments; it initially included per-well active micro-conduit networks for fluid and gas exchanges and dedicated per-well sensors for every well in a microplate. NRI continued to develop her ground-breaking work, and additionally made synergistic adaptations of its Microfluidic and Lab-On-A-Chip Systems and Proximate Microscopic Imaging and Tomography for integrated use in microplate application frameworks. Several major companies have recognized the importance of avoiding removal of environmentally-sensitive cell culture microplates from regulated incubator environments and have adapted their legacy product lines to address some aspects of this. NRI’s technologies, however, go much farther and add tremendous value to common and specialized cell culture experiments. Many features can be integrated into an ANSI-compliant lid for use with a variety of types of commodity microplates.
NRI’s current family of next-generation microplate technologies currently includes:
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- Per-well active micro-conduit networks and elements (including valves and pumps) for fluid and gas exchanges (see Microfluidic and Lab-On-A-Chip Systems )
- Per-well sensors (temperature, pH, gases, ions, inorganic chemicals, proteins, biomarkers; see Biochemical/Chemical Sensors and Sensor-Array Systems )
- Provisions for fluidic, electronic, and imaging support by traditional incubators
- Microplate lid fluidic/gas exchange elements (valves, distribution buses, and others)
- Microplate lid sensing elements
- Microplate lid modular architectures (see Microfluidic and Lab-On-A-Chip Systems )
- Per-well optical microscopic imaging (see Proximate Microscopic Imaging and Tomography )
- Per-well optical microscopic tomography (see Proximate Microscopic Imaging and Tomography )
- Fluid and gas exchange control scripting software (see Microfluidic and Lab-On-A-Chip Systems ).
NRI continues active R&D in each of these areas.
NRI is pleased that startup Advanced Microplate Technologies will be licensing a corresponding collection of NRI technologies and NRI patents applicable to next generation microplates to which they are adding their own original commercialization, integration, and new feature innovations.
Issued Patents
| Title | Patent Number | Application Number | Priority Dates | Text Only | Related Patents | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Microplate, Microtiter, and Microarray Technologies with Per-Well Fluidics, Gas Exchange, Electronic Sensors, and Imaging for Cell-Cultures and Other Applications | 9,994,889 | 13/844,621 | 08/05/2013 | Text | Next-Generation Microplate Technologies |
Pending Published Applications
| Title | Publication Number | Application Number | Priority Dates | Publish Date | Text Only | Related Patents | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per-Well Imaging Arrangements for Advanced Microplate, Microarray, and Microtiter Technologies | 2018/0291418 | 16/005,389 | 03/15/2013 | Text | Next-Generation Microplate Technologies | ||
| Cell Culture Incubator Arrangements for Advanced Microplate, Microarray, and Microtiter Technologies with Per-Well Fluidics, Gas Exchange, Electronic Sensors, and Imaging | 2018/0291417 | 16/005,308 | 03/15/2013 | Text | Next-Generation Microplate Technologies | ||
| Per-Well Illumination and Optical Stimulation Arrangements for Advanced Microplate, Microarray, and Microtiter Technologies | 2018/0291416 | 16/005,232 | 03/15/2013 | Text | Next-Generation Microplate Technologies | ||
| Cap Arrangements Providing Per-Well Fluidics and Gas Exchange for Advanced Microplate, Microarray, and Microtiter Technologies | 2018/0291415 | 16/005,157 | 03/15/2013 | Text | Next-Generation Microplate Technologies | ||
| Cap Arrangements with Per-Well Sensors for Advanced Microplate, Microarray, and Microtiter Technologies | 2018/0291414 | 16/004,844 | 03/15/2013 | Text | Next-Generation Microplate Technologies |
Pending Unpublished Applications
| Title | Application Number | Priority Dates | Related Patents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microplate Lid Arrangements for Providing Microplate, Microarray, and Microtiter Technologies with Per-Well Fluidics, Gas Exchange, Electronic Sensors, and Imaging | 16/502,296 | 07/03/2018 | Next-Generation Microplate Technologies |