(19)

(11)

EP 1 552 011 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 08.07.2004 (43) Date of publication: 13.07.2005 Bulletin 2005/28 (21) Application number: 03765936.4 (22) Date of filing: 22.07.2003

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: C12Q 1/68, G01N 21/76, G01N 15/06, G01N 21/62 (86) International application number: PCT/US2003/022932 (87) International publication number: WO 2004/010105 (29.01.2004 Gazette 2004/05)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK (30) Priority: 23.07.2002 US 398198 P 21.03.2003 US 393942 (71) Applicant: THE TEXAS A & M UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS College Station, TX 77843 (US)	(72) Inventors: CROOKS, Richard, M. College Station, TX 77845 (US) ZHAN, Wei College Station, TX 77840 (US) ALVAREZ, Julio College Station, TX 77840 (US) (74) Representative: Lawrence, John  Barker Brettell,138 Hagley Road,Edgbaston Birmingham B16 9PW Birmingham B16 9PW (GB)