Sampling Device

• US 20100294048A1
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stokes Bio Ltd. (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stokes Bio Ltd. (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Garvey, Julie, Curran, Kieran, McGuire, David, Curtain, Damian
• Granted Patent: US 8,697,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/864.34
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0293 for liquids
• 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: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to devices, systems, and methods for acquiring and/or dispensing a sample without introducing a gas into a microfluidic system, such as a liquid bridge system. An exemplary embodiment provides a sampling device including: a sampling member for acquiring or dispensing a sample; and a supply of a fluid that is immiscible with the sample; in which the device is configured to provide a continuous flow of immiscible fluid enveloping the sampling member.

Claims

1. A sampling device comprising:

a sampling member for acquiring or dispensing a sample; and

a supply of a fluid that is immiscible with the sample;

wherein the device is configured to provide a continuous flow of immiscible fluid enveloping the sampling member.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the immiscible fluid envelops only an exterior of the sampling member.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein there is a counter-flow of the immiscible fluid from an exterior of the sampling member to an interior of the sampling member.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for sample acquisition such that the immiscible fluid flows down an exterior of the sampling member, and is taken up an interior of the sampling member.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for sample dispensing such that the immiscible fluid flows down an interior and an exterior of the sampling member.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sample is a chemical species or a biological species.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sample comprises PCR reagents.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to operate in fluid contact with a liquid bridge system.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sampling member acquires or dispenses the sample without introduction of gas into the sampling member.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the immiscible fluid is a hydrophilic fluid.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the immiscible fluid is a hydrophobic fluid.

12. A sampling device comprising:

an outer sheath; and

a plurality of tubes within the sheath, wherein at least one of the tubes acquires a sample, and at least one of the tubes expels a fluid that is immiscible with the sample, wherein the at least one tube that acquires the sample is extendable beyond a distal end of the sheath and retractable to within the sheath.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein a distal portion of the outer sheath is filled with the immiscible fluid, continuously immersing the distal portion of the tube that acquires the sample in the immiscible fluid.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein there is counter-flow of the immiscible fluid between the tube that expels the immiscible fluid and the tube that acquires the sample.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the immiscible fluid is continuously expelled from the tube that expels the immiscible fluid.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the immiscible fluid is continuously taken in by the tube that acquires the sample.

17. The device according to claim 12, wherein the sample is acquired without the introduction of a gas into the tube that acquires the sample.

18. The device according to claim 12, wherein the device is configured to operate in fluid contact with a liquid bridge system.

19. A system for sample acquisition comprising:

a sampling member;

a vessel for containing a sample and an overlay of a fluid that is immiscible with the sample;

wherein a distal end of the sampling member is configured such that it is not removed above the immiscible overlay between sample acquisitions.

20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a robotics system that controls movement of the sampling tube.

21. The system according to claim 20, further comprising a pump connected to the sampling tube.

22. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a liquid bridge that is in fluid contact with the sampling tube.

23. A system for sample acquisition comprising:

a sampling device comprising an outer sheath and a plurality of tubes within the sheath, wherein at least one of the tubes acquires a sample, and at least one of the tubes expels a fluid that is immiscible with the sample, wherein the at least one tube that acquires the sample is extendable beyond a distal end of the sheath and retractable to within the sheath; and

a vessel for containing a sample and an overlay of a fluid that is immiscible with the sample;

wherein a distal end of the outer sheath and the tube that acquires the sample are configured to interact with the vessel to acquire the sample without also acquiring a gas.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein a distal portion of the outer sheath is filled with the immiscible fluid, continuously immersing a distal portion of the tube that acquires the sample in the immiscible fluid.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein a counter-flow exists between the tube that expels the immiscible fluid and the tube that acquires the sample.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the immiscible fluid is continuously expelled by the at least one tube that expels the immiscible fluid.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the immiscible fluid is continuously taken in by the at least one tube that acquires the sample.

28. The system according to claim 23, further comprising at least one robotics system that controls movement of the sampling device, and controls movement of the tube that acquires the sample.

29. The system according to claim 28, further comprising a first pump connected to the at least one tube that acquires the sample, and a second pump connected to the at least one tube that expels the immiscible fluid.

30. The system according to claim 23, further comprising a liquid bridge that is in fluid contact with the sampling device.

31. A method for acquiring a sample comprising;

contacting a sampling member to a vessel containing a sample, wherein the sampling member is enveloped in a fluid that is immiscible with the sample;

acquiring the sample from the vessel, wherein the sample is acquired without the introduction of a gas into the sampling member.

34. The method according to claim 31, further comprising flowing the sample to a liquid bridge.

35. The method according to claim 31, further comprising performing PCR on the sample.

32. The method according to claim 32, wherein there is a counter-flow of the immiscible fluid from the exterior of the sampling member to an interior of the sampling member.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the immiscible fluid flows down an exterior of the sampling member, and is taken up an interior of the sampling member.