ANALYSIS

• US 20100213063A1
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BioAccel Co.
• Original Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Inventors: Yang, Jianing, ZENHAUSERN, Frederic, Lenigk, Ralf, Nordquist, Alan, Hurth, Cedric
• Application Number:
  US12/703,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20100213063A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/452
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/525 with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/00 Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/10 in the liquid or fluent state burettes, pipettes B01L3/02; sampling of ground water E02D1/06; metering by volume of fluids or fluent solid material G01F11/00, G01F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6484 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/01 Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0846 Fibre interface with sample, e.g. for spatial resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/143333 Saccharide [e.g., DNA, etc.]

Abstract

Analysis methods and apparatus are provided for inspecting a channel, such as a capillary electrophoresis channel, in a device. Configuration and alignment systems are provided, together with optical systems and temperature control.

Claims

1. A method of configuring an optical system for a detection location, the method including:

providing a channel having a detection location for performing an electrophoretic separation on at least a part of a sample;

considering one or more characteristics of the channel and/or optical system;

configuring the optical system relative to the detection location.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the optical system is provided in an instrument, the channel is provided in a device which can be inserted into and removed from the instrument and the configuring of the optical system is made before the electrophoretic separation.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which the configuring of the optical system is made after one or more other steps have been performed on the device.

4. A method according to claim 1 in which the configuring is with respect to the position of one or more parts of the optical system relative to the channel.

5. A method according to claim 4 in which the position is the position perpendicular to the axis of the channel, parallel to the axis along which light is applied to the detection location.

6. A method according to claim 4 in which the position is the position perpendicular to the axis of the channel, perpendicular to the axis along which light is applied to the detection location.

7. A method according to claim 4 in which the configuring is with respect to the focus of the light applied to the detection location.

8. A method according to claim 1 in which the configuring is made with reference to the channel, the channel is responsive to light and the variation in the detected light with position across the channel is considered.

9. A method according to claim 1 in which one or more components of the optical system are moved and/or the channel is moved to configure the optical system.

10. A method according to claim 1 in which the configuring is provided using the optical system used in detecting the results from the channel.

11. A method according to claim 1 in which the configuring is provided using a separate alignment system.

12. A method according to claim 11 in which the separate alignment system includes one or more of:

a variable position support and/or an actuator and/or a camera and/or a light detector and/or a light source.

13. A method according to claim 11 in which the alignment system is used to control one or more components of the optical system so as to provide alignment between the channel and the optical system.

14. A method according to claim 11 in which the alignment system includes a variable position support, the variable position support having a first position, the variable position support having a second position, in the second position, the camera/light detector provided on the variable position support being positioned in an alignment with the channel.

15. A method according to claim 14 in which the alignment is less accurate than a second alignment and the second alignment is obtained by varying the position of the variable position support.

16. A method according to claim 15 in which the varying of the position is in response to the form of diffraction pattern observed by the camera/light detector.

17. Apparatus for configuring an optical system for a detection location, the apparatus including:

a channel having a detection location;

an optical system;

one or more elements for adjusting the configuration of the optical system.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 in which the optical system is provided in an instrument, the channel is provided in a device which can be inserted into and removed from the instrument.

19. Apparatus according to claim 17 in which one or more components of the optical system are moveable and/or the channel is moveable to configure the optical system.

20. Apparatus according to claim 17 in which a separate alignment system to the optical system is provided.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 in which the separate alignment system includes one or more of:

a variable position support and/or an actuator and/or a camera and/or a light detector and/or a light source.

22. Apparatus according to claim 20 in which the alignment system includes a variable position support, the variable position support having a first position, the variable position support having a second position, in the second position, the camera/light detector provided on the variable position support being positioned in an alignment with the channel.

23. An instrument for analysing a sample, the instrument including:

one or more sample processors;

a channel for performing an electrophoretic separation on at least a part of the sample;

a detection location in the channel;

an optical system for considering the detection location.

24. An instrument according to claim 23, wherein the optical system includes one or more of a light source, a collimator, a filter, a mirror, a spectrometer and camera.

25. An instrument according to claim 23 in which the channel is maintained at a predetermined temperature +/−

0.7°

C.

26. An instrument according to claim 23 in which the channel is provided in contact with a heating location.

27. An instrument according to claim 26 in which the heating location provides a planar surface portion.

28. An instrument according to claim 27 in which the heating location has a planar surface portion whose boundaries match those of the element containing the channel.

29. An instrument according to claim 28 in which the heating location is bounded by one or more protruding or elevated sections.

30. A method for analysing a sample, the method including:

performing one or more sample processes;

introducing at least a part of the sample into a channel;

performing an electrophoretic separation on at least a part of the sample;

considering the characteristics present at a detection location in the channel using an optical system.