Array configurations based on read-out techniques

For screening applications in pharmaceutical research and in environmental analysis, homogeneous and heterogeneous phase assays are already well-established. The large number of samples to be examined requires the measurement of a multisample arrangement by means of parallel techniques which are improved by miniturization. This has the additional advantage of reducing the volume of samples and reagents, coming close to nanoliter volumes. For both approaches (high throughput screening and multisample detection in environmental analysis) imaging read-out systems are used which allow simultaneous monitoring of biomolecular interaction processes. Two applications are demonstrated: direct optical detection techniques of the affinity reaction between thrombin and inhibitors, as well as pesticide detection in environmental analysis using resonance energy transfer.