Multiplexed Detection Schemes for a Droplet Actuator

• US 20100236928A1
• Filed: 10/15/2008
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc. (Illumina Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc. (Illumina Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sista, Ramakrishna, Pamula, Vamsee K., Srinivasan, Vijay, Pollack, Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US12/681,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20100236928A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/450
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0673 Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/088 Channel loops
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0424 Dielectrophoretic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0427 Electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0448 Marangoni flow; Thermocapillary effect
• 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 3/502792 for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension

Abstract

A droplet actualor having electrodes configured for ejecting droplet operations transporting droplets on a surface, and a sensor arranged in proximity to one or more of the electrodes establishing a detection window on the surface for detection of one or more properties of one or more droplets on the surface, wherein the electrodes establish at least two pathways for transport of droplets into the detection window. Also provided is, A method of detecting a property of a target droplet, including using droplet operations to modulate signals from a droplet set comprising the target droplet, detecting the modulated signals of the droplet set, demodulating the modulated signals to identify the signal produced by one or more individual droplets of the set Related methods and alternative embodiments are also provided.

Claims

1-63. -63. (canceled)

64. A method of detecting a property of a target droplet, the method comprising:

(a) using droplet operations to modulate signals from a droplet set comprising the target droplet;

(b) detecting the modulated signals of the droplet set;

(c) demodulating the modulated signals to identify the signal produced by one or more individual droplets of the set.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the droplet set is provided on a droplet actuator comprising:

(a) electrodes configured for effecting droplet operations transporting droplets on a surface;

(b) a sensor arranged in proximity to one or more of the electrodes establishing a detection window on the surface for detection of one or more properties of one or more droplets on the surface;

wherein the electrodes establish at least two pathways for transport of droplets into the detection window.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein the filler fluid comprises an oil.

68. The method of any of claim 64, wherein the oil comprises a silicone oil.

69. The method of any of claim 64, wherein:

(a) one or more of the droplets may comprise an analyte; and

(b) the property may be indicative of a quality or quantity of the analyte.

70. The method of claim 64, wherein:

(a) one or more of the droplets may comprise an analyte; and

(b) the property may be indicative of a quality or quantity of the analyte.

71. The method of claim 64, wherein:

(a) the droplet comprises beads; and

(b) the property is indicative of a property of the beads.

72. The method of claim 64, wherein:

(a) the droplet comprises biological cells; and

(b) the property is indicative of a property of the biological cells.

73. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by moving droplets into and out of a detection window.

74. The method of claim 64, wherein:

(a) the modulating is effected by moving droplets into and out of a detection window; and

(b) each droplet is moved into and out of the detection window at a different frequency.

75. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by moving droplets into and out of a detection window along electrode paths.

76. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by moving droplets into and out of a detection window along electrode paths that are arranged in a generally radial manner with respect to a center of the detection window.

77. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by moving droplets into and out of a detection window by electrode-mediated droplet operations.

78. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by moving droplets into and out of a detection window by electrowetting-mediated droplet operations.

79. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by moving droplets into and out of a detection window by electrophoresis-mediated droplet operations.

80. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by moving droplets from one location to another in a droplet actuator.

81. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by effecting a change in shape of the droplet.

82. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by elongating or shortening the droplet.

83. The method of claim 64, wherein the modulating is effected by moving droplets into and out of one or more openings in a surface of a droplet actuator.

84. The method of claim 64, wherein:

(a) the droplet actuator comprises a top substrate situated in a generally parallel manner relative to the surface and comprises two or more openings in the top substrate; and

(b) the modulating is effected by moving droplets into and out of one or more openings in the top substrate of the droplet actuator.

85. The method of claim 64, wherein:

(a) the droplet actuator is provided as a component of a system; and

(b) the system provides an output indicative of one or more properties of the first droplet and the second droplet.

86. A system comprising a droplet actuator and a processor electronically coupled to the processor, the system comprising programming instructions for conducting the method of claim 64.