Veterinary diagnostic system

• US 20070059683A1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Artemis Health, Inc. (Nomi Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Artemis Health, Inc. (Nomi Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kapur, Ravi, Gray, Darren, Huang, Lotien, Barber, Tom
• Application Number:
  US11/229,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20070059683A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/5
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/24 Methods of sampling, or inoculating or spreading a sample; Methods of physically isolating an intact microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5002 Partitioning blood components
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5091 for testing the pathological state of an organism

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for diagnosing an animal for a condition by obtaining a fluid sample from the animal, enriching a first analyte having a concentration of less than 1×10⁻³ analytes/μL from said sample by a factor of at least 10,000 fold; and analyzing one or more enriched first analytes to determine a condition in said animal. Enrichment is preferably performed using one or more size-based separation modules.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing a domesticated animal for a condition:

obtaining a fluid sample from said animal,

applying said fluid sample to a flow through enrichment module to enrich a first analyte having a concentration of less than 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> analytes/μ

L from said sample by a factor of at least 10,000 fold, and

analyzing one or more enriched first analytes to determine a condition in said animal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said domesticated animal is selected from the group consisting of:

a cow, a chicken, a pig, a horse, a rabbit, a dog, a cat, and a goat.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing step is preformed by an analyzer comprising a microscope and computer executable logic for detecting a color change within said one or more enriched first analytes.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first analyte is a cancer cell.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first analyte is a fetal cell.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said enrichment step comprises applying said sample to one or more two-dimensional arrays of obstacles, wherein each of said arrays creates a deterministic flow path for first analytes from said fluid sample and a second deterministic path for second analytes from said fluid sample, wherein said first analytes have a different hydrodynamic size than said second analytes and said first path leads to a first outlet and said second path leads to a second output.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said first analyte is a pathogen selected from the group consisting of a bacterium, a virus, and a protozoan.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing step comprises performing DNA analysis.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing step comprises performing RNA analysis.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing step comprises performing protein analysis.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluid sample is a blood sample.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying a reagent to said sample wherein said reagent increases the size of said first analyte by at least 10%.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said applying a reagent step occurs prior to said applying said sample to said arrays of obstacles.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said applying a reagent step occurs simultaneous to said applying said sample to said device step.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said reagent comprises a quantum dot, an antibody, a phage, an aptamer, a fluorophore, an enzyme or a bead.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein said reagent comprises a bead.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing step involves counting the number of said first analytes.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said condition comprises sex of a fetus of said animal.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said condition comprises a microbial infection of said animal.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said condition comprises cancer.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said enrichment module deterministically directs said analyte in a first direction and a second analyte in a different direction.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said enrichment module comprises one or more two dimensional arrays of obstacles which define gaps that direct the sample flow unequally into subsequent gaps.