Figure 7.

Different assembly of silicon-based microarray elements generates different microarray formats for different diagnostic needs. Currently available allergen chips represent a single format which cannot adapt to different needs as shown for ImmunoCAP ISAC. By contrast, silicon-based microarray elements can be assembled in different formats. For example, chips containing only one array for individualized rapid testing can be produced which due to the high sensitivity can be read in simple scanners or by using mobile phone-based cameras. Alternatively, chips containing up to eight microarrays can be assembled which allow manual testing of medium scale numbers of sera and subsequent analysis by inexpensive automated scanners. For large scale automated testing of large numbers of sera, silicon elements can be mounted in ELISA-type plates and subjected to automated testing in a closed ELISA-based instrument containing an incubation, washing and detection unit followed by a scanning unit.