Methods and apparatus for manipulation and/or detection of biological samples and other objects
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of CMOS fabricated field-generating components;
a microfluidic system configured to contain a fluid in proximity to the plurality of CMOS fabricated field-generating components; and
at least one controller configured to control the plurality of CMOS fabricated field-generating components to generate at least one electric or magnetic field having a sufficient strength to interact with at least one sample suspended in the fluid.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for manipulation, detection, imaging, characterization, sorting and/or assembly of biological or other materials, involving an integration of CMOS or other semiconductor-based technology and microfluidics. In one implementation, various components relating to the generation of electric and/or magnetic fields are implemented on an IC chip that is fabricated using standard protocols. The generated electric and/or magnetic fields are used to manipulate and/or detect one or more dielectric and/or magnetic particles and distinguish different types of particles. A microfluidic system is fabricated either directly on top of the IC chip, or as a separate entity that is then appropriately bonded to the IC chip, to facilitate the introduction and removal of cells in a biocompatible environment, or other particles/objects of interest suspended in a fluid. The patterned electric and/or magnetic fields generated by the IC chip can trap and move biological cells or other objects inside the microfluidic system. Electric and/or magnetic field generating components also may be controlled using signals of various frequencies so as to detect one or more cells, particles or objects of interest, and even the type of particle or object of interest, by measuring resonance characteristics associated with interactions between samples and one or more of the field-generating devices. Such systems may be employed in a variety of biological and medical related applications, including cell sorting and tissue assembly.
219 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a plurality of CMOS fabricated field-generating components;
a microfluidic system configured to contain a fluid in proximity to the plurality of CMOS fabricated field-generating components; and
at least one controller configured to control the plurality of CMOS fabricated field-generating components to generate at least one electric or magnetic field having a sufficient strength to interact with at least one sample suspended in the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method, comprising an act of:
A) generating at least one electric of magnetic field from a plurality of CMOS fabricated field-generating components, the at least one electric or magnetic field having a sufficient strength to interact with at least one sample suspended in a fluid contained in a microfluidic system in proximity to the plurality of CMOS fabricated field-generating components. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
Specification