Method of measuring biological sample properties and biological sample property measuring apparatus

Abstract

A method of measuring biological sample properties and a biological sample property measuring apparatus is provided. A method of measuring biological sample properties includes disposing a biomaterial to contact a sensing unit, detecting a radio frequency (RF) signal flowing through the sensing unit, and obtaining an RF property indicator of the biomaterial based on the detected RF signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of measuring biological sample properties, the method comprising:
 disposing a biomaterial to contact a sensing unit;   detecting a radio frequency (RF) signal flowing through the sensing unit; and   obtaining an RF property indicator of the biomaterial based on the detected RF signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biomaterial is in vivo or in vitro contact with the sensing unit. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biomaterial comprises a fluid in continuous contact with the sensing unit while flowing through a microchannel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the obtaining of the RF property indicator comprises obtaining the RF property indicator iteratively from a time at which the fluid begins flowing on the sensing unit, and detecting a change in the iteratively obtained RF property indicator in real time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biomaterial comprises a biological sample, and wherein the detecting of the RF signal is performed after a change in a state of the biological sample occurs. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the RF property indicator comprises one or more from the group consisting of an impedance, an inductance, a conductance, a capacitance, and a frequency. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biomaterial comprises one or more from the group consisting of a cell, an organelle, a body fluid, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), blood, plasma, glucose, glycated hemoglobin, cholesterol, a cancer cell, an antigen, an antibody, an influenza, protein, and a biological tissue. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing unit comprises a mono-layered or multi-layered carbon-based material. 
     
     
         9 . A biological sample property measuring apparatus, comprising:
 a sensing unit configured to contact a biomaterial;   an electrode unit configured to detect a radio frequency (RF) signal flowing through the sensing unit; and   a probe unit configured to obtain an RF property indicator of the biomaterial based on the detected RF signal.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the biomaterial is in vivo or in vitro contact with the sensing unit. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the biomaterial comprises a fluid in continuous contact with the sensing unit while flowing through a microchannel. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the RF property indicator comprises one or more of the group consisting of an impedance, an inductance, a conductance, a capacitance, and a frequency. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the biomaterial comprises one or more of the group consisting of a cell, an organelle, a body fluid, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), blood, plasma, glucose, glycated hemoglobin, cholesterol, a cancer cell, an antigen, an antibody, an influenza, protein, and a biological tissue. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the sensing unit comprises a mono-layered or multi-layered carbon-based material. 
     
     
         15 . A biological sample property measuring apparatus, comprising:
 a microchannel configured to provide a flow channel for a biological sample;   a sensing unit on the flow channel, the sensing unit being configured to contact the biological sample;   a first signal electrode configured to transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal to a first area of the sensing unit;   a second signal electrode configured to transmit the RF signal to a second area of the sensing unit, an RF property indicator between the first area of the sensing unit and the second area of the sensing unit being supplied to a probe unit; and   a ground electrode configured to ground the RF signal.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the probe unit comprises a first probe and a second probe, the first probe comprising a first tip and a second tip, the first tip of the first probe contacting the first signal electrode, the second tip of the first probe contacting the ground electrode, the second probe comprising a first tip and a second tip, the first tip of the second probe contacting the second signal electrode, the second tip of the second probe contacting the ground electrode. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a measuring unit configured to supply the RF signal to the first signal electrode and the second signal electrode through the probe unit and receive the RF signal from the sensing unit through the probe unit.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the microchannel comprises a polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) layer configured to prevent leakage of the biological sample. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a substrate on which the microchannel, the sensing unit, the first signal electrode, the second signal electrode, and the ground electrode are formed.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the RF property indicator comprises one or more from the group consisting of an impedance, an inductance, a conductance, a capacitance, and a frequency. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the biomaterial comprises one or more from the group consisting of a cell, an organelle, a body fluid, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), blood, plasma, glucose, glycated hemoglobin, cholesterol, a cancer cell, an antigen, an antibody, an influenza, protein, and a biological tissue. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the sensing unit comprises a mono-layered or multi-layered carbon-based material.