Modular Droplet Actuator Drive

• US 20100143963A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Duke University
• Original Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc. (Illumina Incorporated)
• Inventors: Paik, Philip, Pollack, Michael G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/29
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/04 Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0427 Electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502792 for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/035 Supports for sample drops
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1046 Levitated, suspended drops
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/59 Transmissivity G01N21/25 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention provides a droplet actuator drive. In certain embodiments, the droplet actuator drive may include a detection apparatus for sensing a property of a droplet on a droplet actuator; circuitry for controlling the detection apparatus electronically coupled to the detection apparatus; a droplet actuator cartridge connector; circuitry for controlling a droplet actuator coupled to the droplet actuator connector; and/or a means for coupling the droplet actuator circuitry to a processor. Systems, kits and methods of conducting assays are also provided.

Claims

1. A droplet actuator drive comprising:

(a) a detection apparatus for sensing a property of a droplet on a droplet actuator;

(b) circuitry for controlling the detection apparatus electronically coupled to the detection apparatus;

(c) a droplet actuator cartridge connector arranged so that when a droplet actuator cartridge electronically is coupled thereto;

(i) the droplet actuator cartridge is aligned with the detection apparatus; and

(ii) the detection apparatus can sense the property of the droplet on a droplet actuator;

(d) circuitry for controlling a droplet actuator coupled to the droplet actuator connector; and

(e) means for coupling the droplet actuator circuitry to a processor.

2. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 wherein the means for coupling the circuitry to a processor comprises:

(a) a set of connections for electrically coupling the circuitry to a computer; and

/or

(b) means for wirelessly coupling the circuitry to a computer.

3. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 wherein the means for coupling the circuitry to a processor comprises a droplet actuator drive configured for insertion in and electronic coupling to a computer via a drive bay of a desktop or laptop computer.

4. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 configured as a desktop drive.

5. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the droplet actuator cartridge connector comprises a slide-out tray; and

(b) electronically coupling the droplet actuator cartridge connector to the processor comprises;

(i) opening the slide-out tray;

(ii) inserting the droplet actuator cartridge into the slide-out tray; and

(iii) closing the slide-out tray.

6. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 wherein the means for coupling the droplet actuator circuitry to a processor comprises providing the droplet actuator drive in a configuration suitable for insertion into a memory stick slot.

7. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 wherein the means for coupling the droplet actuator circuitry to a processor comprises providing the droplet actuator drive in a configuration suitable for insertion into a USB port.

8. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 wherein the means for coupling the droplet actuator circuitry to a processor comprises a male USB connector integrated with the droplet actuator drive.

9. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 comprising two or more of the droplet actuator cartridge connectors.

10. The droplet actuator drive of claim 2 wherein the two or more of the droplet actuator cartridge connectors comprise two or more connectors each configured for a different droplet actuator cartridge specific for a different droplet actuator test type.

11. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 further comprising an output mechanism for providing output indicative of sensing by the detection apparatus of a property of a droplet on the droplet actuator.

12. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 further comprising means for coupling the detector circuitry to a processor.

13. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 wherein the droplet actuator cartridge connector comprises a slot configured for insertion of a droplet actuator cartridge.

14. A system comprising the droplet actuator drive of claim 1 and further comprising a processor coupled to the means for coupling the detector circuitry to a processor.

15. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 wherein the detection apparatus comprises a sensor for sensing photons emitted from and/or transmitted through a droplet on the droplet actuator.

16. The droplet actuator drive of claim 1 further comprising a droplet actuator cartridge electronically coupled to the droplet actuator cartridge connector.

17. The droplet actuator drive of claim 2 wherein the droplet actuator cartridge comprises an optically transparent region which aligns with the detection apparatus, permitting sensing of a property of a droplet on a droplet actuator.

18. The droplet actuator drive of claim 2 further comprising:

(a) reagents for a predetermined assay type pre-loaded on the droplet actuator cartridge; and

(b) a sample loaded on the droplet actuator cartridge prior to insertion into the slot.

19. The droplet actuator drive of claim 18 wherein the reagents comprise nucleic acid amplification reagents.

20. The droplet actuator drive of claim 18 wherein the reagents comprise immunoassay reagents.

21. The droplet actuator drive of claim 18 wherein the reagents comprise biochemistry reagents.

22. A system comprising a processor coupled to the circuitry of the droplet actuator drive of claim 1 by the means for coupling the droplet actuator circuitry to a processor and programmed to control the droplet actuator and/or detection apparatus.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor is comprised in a computer selected from the group consisting of desktop computers, laptop computers, and handheld computers.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising a droplet actuator cartridge electronically coupled to the droplet actuator cartridge connector.

25. A kit comprising packaging comprising:

(a) a droplet actuator drive comprising;

(i) a detection apparatus for sensing a property of a droplet on a droplet actuator;

(ii) circuitry for controlling the detection apparatus electronically coupled to the detection apparatus;

(iii) a droplet actuator cartridge connector arranged so that when a droplet actuator cartridge is electronically coupled thereto;

(1) the droplet actuator cartridge is aligned with the detection apparatus; and

(2) the detection apparatus can sense the property of the droplet on a droplet actuator;

(iv) circuitry for controlling a droplet actuator coupled to the droplet actuator connector;

(v) means for coupling the droplet actuator circuitry to a processor; and

(b) a droplet actuator cartridge comprising a droplet actuator and means for coupling the droplet actuator cartridge to the droplet actuator drive.

26. The kit of claim 25 further comprising beads for conducting an assay using the droplet actuator cartridge.

27. The kit of claim 26 wherein the beads are loaded on the droplet actuator cartridge.

28. The kit of claim 25 further comprising instructions for using the kit.

29. The kit of claim 28 wherein the instructions are electronically stored on an electronic storage medium associated with the cartridge such that when coupled to a droplet actuator drive, the instructions are displayed on an output device associated with the droplet actuator drive and or a system comprising the droplet actuator drive.

30. A kit comprising:

(a) a droplet actuator cartridge comprising;

(i) a droplet actuator; and

(ii) means for coupling the droplet actuator cartridge to a droplet actuator drive; and

(b) instructions for using the droplet actuator cartridge.

31. The kit of claim 30 further comprising beads for conducting an assay using the droplet actuator cartridge.

32. The kit of claim 31 wherein the beads are loaded on the droplet actuator cartridge.

33. The kit of claim 32 further comprising instructions for using the kit.

34. The kit of claim 33 wherein the instructions are electronically stored on an electronic storage medium associated with the cartridge such that when coupled to a droplet actuator drive, the instructions are displayed on an output device associated with the droplet actuator drive and or a system comprising the droplet actuator drive.

35. A method of conducting an assay, the method comprising:

(a) providing a droplet actuator drive comprising;

(i) a detection apparatus for sensing a property of a droplet on a droplet actuator;

(ii) circuitry for controlling the detection apparatus electronically coupled to the detection apparatus;

(iii) a droplet actuator cartridge connector arranged so that when a droplet actuator cartridge electronically coupled thereto;

(1) the droplet actuator cartridge is aligned with the detection apparatus; and

(2) the detection apparatus can sense the property of the droplet on a droplet actuator;

(iv) circuitry for controlling a droplet actuator coupled to the droplet actuator connector;

(v) means for coupling the droplet actuator circuitry to a processor; and

(b) electronically coupling the droplet actuator drive to a computer processor;

(c) coupling a droplet actuator cartridge to a droplet actuator cartridge connector, the cartridge comprising reagent sample for an assay protocol;

(d) executing software using the computer processor to effect steps comprising;

(i) executing steps in the assay protocol;

(ii) sensing a property of an assay droplet; and

(iii) displaying an output indicative of the property of the assay droplet.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein step 35(d)(i) comprises conducting one or more droplet operations using droplets comprising one or more beads.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein step 35(d)(i) comprises conducting one or more droplet operations using droplets comprising one or more biological cells.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein step 35(d)(i) comprises conducting one or more dispensing or splitting droplet operations using droplets comprising beads.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein step 35(d)(i) comprises conducting one or more dispensing or splitting droplet operations using droplets comprising biological cells.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein step 35(d)(i) comprises conducting one or more dispensing or splitting droplet operations using droplets comprising viable biological cells.

41. The method of claim 35 wherein step 35(d)(i) comprises conducting one or more washing operations using magnetically responsive beads.

42. The method of claim 35 wherein step 35(d)(i) comprises conducting one or more washing operations using substantially non-magnetically responsive beads.

43. The method of claim 35 wherein the property of the assay droplet sensed in step 35(d)(ii) is indicative of a property of one or more beads in the assay droplet.

44. The method of claim 35 wherein the property of the assay droplet sensed in step 35(d)(ii) is indicative of a property of one or more biological cells in the assay droplet.

45. The method of claim 35 wherein the output displayed in step 35(d)(iii) is indicative of a property of one or more beads in the assay droplet.

46. The method of claim 35 wherein the output displayed in step 35(d)(iii) is indicative of a property of one or more cells in the assay droplet.