Ruggedized apparatus for analysis of nucleic acid and proteins

• US 20060260941A1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ANDE Corp.
• Original Assignee: NetBio, Inc.
• Inventors: Tan, Eugene, Lam, Heung Chuan, Kellogg, Gregory John
• Granted Patent: US 8,206,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027

Abstract

The invention provides methods and systems for ruggedizing a nucleic acid analyzing apparatus. The ruggedized apparatus can be used reliably and effectively in uncontrolled environments, such as, for example at a crime scene to collect and analyze forensic data, as well as in semi-controlled environments, such as, for example at a point of care location.

Claims

1. A ruggedized apparatus for analyzing a sample of biomolecular analyte, the ruggedized apparatus comprising:

a holder for supporting a transparent test module having at least one channel disposed therein;

an electrophoresis device connected to the holder and for providing energy to the transparent test module;

a light source drawing less than about 10 amps at 240 volts, the light source for emitting a light beam that excites fluorescence in the sample of biomolecular analyte;

a light detector; and

a plurality of optical devices mounted within the apparatus to transmit the light beam emitted by the light source to the transparent test module and from the transparent test module to the light detector.

2. The ruggedized apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a portable power supply including a maximum power consumption of 1.5 kVA or less.

3. The ruggedized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical devices are rigidly mounted to a base plate disposed within the apparatus.

4. The ruggedized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrophoresis device comprises a heater to provide thermal energy to the transparent test module and a pair of electrodes to provide electrical energy to the at least one channel.

5. The ruggedized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source is a low power laser.

6. The ruggedized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one channel of the transparent test module comprises a plurality of channels.

7. An apparatus for analyzing a sample of biomolecular analyte, the apparatus comprising:

a holder for supporting a transparent test module having at least one microfluidic channel disposed therein;

an electrophoresis device connected to the holder and for providing energy to the transparent test module;

a low powered light source for emitting a light beam that excites fluorescence in the sample of biomolecular analyte;

a light detector; and

a plurality of optical devices mounted within the apparatus to transmit the light beam emitted by the light source to the transparent test module and from the transparent test module to the light detector.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the transparent test module comprises a plurality of microfluidic channels.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of optical devices are rigidly mounted to a base plate disposed within the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electrophoresis device comprises a heater to provide thermal energy to the transparent test module and a pair of electrodes to provide electrical energy to the at least one microfluidic channel.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the low powered light source is a low power laser.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a portable energy source to provide energy to the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the portable energy source has a maximum power consumption of less than about 1.5 kVA.

14. An apparatus for processing a sample of biomolecular analyte, the apparatus comprising:

a holder for supporting a transparent test module having at least one channel disposed therein;

an electrophoresis device connected to the holder and for providing energy to the transparent test module;

a light source for emitting a light beam that excites fluorescence in the sample of biomolecular analyte;

a light detector; and

a plurality of optical devices rigidly mounted to a base plate formed from a single piece of material, the optical devices disposed on the base plate to transmit the light beam emitted by the light source to the transparent test module and from the transparent test module to the light detector.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the base plate is supported by a frame including a damping device to reduce transmission of vibrations generated below the frame to the base plate.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the base plate includes a plurality of securing elements for limiting the rotation movement of the plurality of optical devices on the base plate.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the holder for supporting the transparent test module comprises:

a first member including a pair of electrodes disposed to electrically connect with openings disposed on a transparent test module; and

a second member including an automated locking feature to reduce lateral motion of the transparent test module when the transparent test module is positioned between the first member and the second member.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one channel comprises at least one microfluidic channel.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a portable power supply including a maximum power consumption of 1.5 kVA or less.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the light detector includes at least five photomultipliers.

21. A transparent test module for analyzing a sample of biomolecular analyte, the transparent test module comprising:

at least one fluid channel disposed within a member formed of a transparent material, each of the at least one fluid channel including a separation portion, a waste arm portion, a first sample arm portion, and a second sample arm portion.

22. The transparent test module of claim 21, wherein the first sample arm portion being adapted to receive a biasing solution and the second sample arm portion being adapted to receive the sample of biomolecular analyte.

23. The transparent test module of claim 21, wherein the at least one fluid channel comprises a microfluidic channel.

24. The transparent test module of claim 21, wherein the transparent test module is formed from glass.

25. The transparent test module of claim 21, wherein the transparent test module is formed from polymer.

26. A method of determining center channel locations in a transparent test module including a plurality of separate fluid channels disposed therein, the method comprising:

providing a transparent test module including the plurality of separate fluid channels, each of the separate fluid channels having a front end position, a center channel position, and a known channel width;

scanning over a portion of the transparent test module including each of the plurality of separate fluid channels with a light beam to generate a reflected light beam;

collecting the reflected light beam with a light detector to generate a waveform of intensity through the portion of the transparent test module including each of the plurality of separate fluid channels;

eliminating peaks determined not to be associated with the plurality of separate fluid channels;

identifying a location within the waveform of the front end position for each of the plurality of separate fluid channels;

identifying all remaining peaks along the waveform within a first distance extending from each of the identified front end positions; and

determining the center channel positions of each of the plurality of separate fluid channels from an average of locations of all of the remaining peaks within the first distance from each of the identified front end positions.