BEAVERTON, Ore., May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Live cell measurements will be easier and faster with the new M150 Measurement Platform from Cascade Microtech and a new thermal microfluidic chip holder for life sciences applications. Cellular medicine and physiology researchers can now couple Cascade Microtech’s revolutionary L-Series Microfluidic Microport(TM) interfaces with a new thermal microfluidic chip holder and the M150 Measurement Platform to provide sustained experimentation and test live cells.
Scientists and researchers will also have the flexibility to use high power compound microscopes with the M150 Measurement Platform and L-Series Microfluidic Microports in combination. The M150 Measurement Platform’s ability to mount high-powered objective lenses allows researchers to resolve smaller cells, lipids and other objects in the microfluidic channel. Compound microscopes have superior light-gathering capability that enables decreased use of dyes and other materials used for tagging that are immaterial to the experiment. Researchers seek to reduce these unwanted materials as much as possible in the assay to preserve the credibility of the experiment results. This unprecedented combination of a flexible measurement platform with the Cascade Microtech Microfluidic Microports makes ease of testing and faster, better results a reality.
Cascade Microtech’s L-Series is adding a new thermal microfluidic chip holder to its product line that provides sustained experimentation in a thermally controlled environment that accurately maintains assay temperatures from minus 10 degrees C to 100 degrees C. The thermal microfluidic chip holder enables scientists to get more recordings on a single set-up, improving productivity significantly. In addition, researchers can take advantage of the L-Series’ superior fluid dispensing and voltage application to get the true precision metrology that only the L-Series Microfluidic Microport interfaces can offer.
About the M150 Measurement Platform
Unlike any other precision measurement platform available, the M150’s uniqueness lies in its unmatched flexibility. This means that the same platform that is used by an electrical engineer to miniaturize a semiconductor chip for a cell phone can also be used by an analytical chemist to test a cardiac heart monitor’s fluidic microchannels. The platform’s novel approach to configurability allows a researcher to customize the test system with interchangeable device holders and optics hardware. In addition, the researcher gains the flexibility to start at an affordable entry price point and easily upgrade or interchange the modules on the platform to increase performance or diversify the applications supported.
Cascade Microtech’s L-Series microfluidic systems will now utilize the configurability of the M150 Measurement Platform as the new platform of choice for the company’s microfluidics metrology products. The new L150-M microfluidics measurement platform will increase functionality for researchers and scientists working with pressure pumping, electroosmotic flow and electrophoresis experiments.
M150 Measurement Platform scales with the experiments
The M150 Measurement Platform gives researchers a modular system that scales from an entry-level/low-cost system to a fully-loaded and feature-rich test station. The L50 microfluidic system bundle is a basic starter kit system for four-port electrophoresis and/or pressure pumping; it includes the LTP test base, four precision micro-positioners, a four-pack of any of the Microport interfaces, and high voltage cables if applicable. With the introduction of the M150 Measurement Platform modularity, the L50 system bundle is now upgradeable to a fully-loaded system by adding modules and accessories. The investment in the L-Series starter kit is more valuable than ever before with this new upgrade path established.
About the L-Series Microfluidic Microport interfaces
Announced in August 2005 by Cascade Microtech, the L-Series Microfluidics Metrology Systems are becoming rapidly adopted in the worldwide research community. They represent a significant leap forward in life sciences research methodology that is based on two new breakthrough products -- the L-series MFP and EBP Microport(TM) interfaces (tiny fluid and electrical field delivery mechanisms) -- developed exclusively by Cascade Microtech. The patent-pending Microport interfaces are based on micron-level probing technology developed by Cascade Microtech. The Microport interfaces will enable faster and more efficient microfluidics measurements. The technology advancement represented by the use of the Microport interfaces enables scientists to dispense liquid or create an electrical field on a tiny workspace in a way never imagined for microfluidics research applications.
Pricing and availability - flexible ways to buy
The new L150-M microfluidic system is available in Cascade Microtech’s L-Series system bundles for U.S. $19,999. The system bundle includes the measurement platform, optics mounting hardware, four microfluidics micropositioners, two standard microfluidic chips and a choice of one four-pack of MFP, MFP-HV or EBP Microport interfaces. The thermally controlled device holder is an optional module that is available for U.S. $6,999. All L-Series offerings will be available for order on May 1, 2006. Please contact Cascade Microtech sales at sales@cascademicro.com.
About Cascade Microtech
Cascade Microtech, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the precise electrical measurement and test of integrated circuits (ICs) and other small structures. For technology businesses and scientific institutions who need to evaluate small structures, Cascade Microtech delivers access to, and extraction of, electrical data from wafers, integrated circuits (ICs), IC packages, circuit boards and modules, MEMs, biological structures, electro-optic devices and more. Cascade Microtech’s highly reliable production wafer test solutions provide the semiconductor industry with leading-edge probe cards that reduce manufacturing costs of complex semiconductors. Information about Cascade Microtech can be found on the Web at www.cascademicrotech.com.
Cascade Microtech, Inc.
CONTACT: Debra Seifert of McClenahan Bruer Communications,+1-503-546-1000, or debra@mcbru.com, for Cascade Microtech, Inc.; or JunkoNakaya of Cascade Microtech, Inc., +1-503-601-1180, orjunko_nakaya@cmicro.com
Web site: http://www.cascademicrotech.com/
