MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE FOR COUNTING BIOLOGICAL PARTICLES

• US 20110243790A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Neha, Sia, Samuel K., Cheung, Yuk Kee, Chin, Curtis D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,431,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0612 Optical scan of the deposits G01N15/0625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1484 microstructural devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/016 White blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56977 HLA or MHC typing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A particle counter for analyzing blood has features which provide for automatic operation and preferably, also provide for portable use in a low resource setting. In a preferred embodiment, preferred embodiment, the device is used to obtain CD4 counts for AIDS diagnosis.

Claims

1. A portable blood component analysis device, comprising:

a microfluidic unit with a sample chamber defined in a first longitudinal channel having a first major axis and a second longitudinal channel, having a second major axis, in communication with the first longitudinal channel with the second major axis crossing the first major axis;

the sample chamber having a surface augmentation features with biospecific surface configured to capture particles from blood;

an analyzer component having a signal detector and a receiving slot configured to receive the microfluidic unit and align the sample chamber with the signal detector.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second major axis are substantially perpendicular.

3. The device of claim 1, where the analyzer contains a pump configured to generate a vacuum of at least 10 kPa.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface augmentation features include a packed bead bed with glass beads.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface augmentation features include a packed bead bed with glass beads with a diameter between 50 and 100 μ

m and the first longitudinal channel contains a narrow portion with a minimum dimension of less than the diameter of the glass beads.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a pump, a controller and a solar power source connected to power the pump and controller.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic unit includes a tube containing at least one wash, and at least one air bubble, the tube being reversibly sealed at both ends and configured to connect with the second longitudinal channel.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a pump, a controller and a solar power source connected to power the pump and controller, wherein the microfluidic unit includes a tube containing at least one wash, and at least one air bubble, the tube being reversibly sealed at both ends and configured to connect with the second longitudinal channel and wherein the controller is configured automatically to pump fluids from the tube through the sample chamber and through the second longitudinal channel.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the blood particles include CD4 cells.

10. The device of claim 3, further comprising a battery.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a controller and wherein the signal detector is a light intensity detector and the controller is configured to derive a cell count from a light intensity signal without imaging.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to derive the cell count from a calibration lookup table correlating cell count against total light intensity from the sample chamber.

13. A portable blood component analysis device, comprising:

a microfluidic unit with a sample chamber;

the sample chamber having a surface augmentation features with biospecific surface configured to capture particles from blood;

an analyzer component having a signal detector and a receiving slot configured to receive the microfluidic unit and align the sample chamber with the signal detector.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the surface augmentation features include a packed bead bed with glass beads.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the surface augmentation features include a packed bead bed with glass beads with a diameter between 50 and 100 μ

m and the first longitudinal channel contains a narrow portion with a minimum dimension of less than the diameter of the glass beads.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising a pump, a controller and a solar power source connected to power the pump and controller.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the microfluidic unit includes a tube containing at least one, at least one wash, and at least one air bubble, the tube being reversibly sealed at both ends and configured to connect with the second longitudinal channel.

18. The device of claim 13, further comprising a pump, a controller and a solar power source connected to power the pump and controller, wherein the microfluidic unit includes a tube containing at least one wash, and at least one air bubble, the tube being reversibly sealed at both ends and configured to connect with the second longitudinal channel and wherein the controller is configured automatically to pump fluids from the tube through the sample chamber and through the second longitudinal channel.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the blood particles include CD4 cells.

20. The device of claim 13, further comprising a battery.

21. The device of claim 13, further comprising a controller and wherein the signal detector is a light intensity detector and the controller is configured to derive a cell count from a light intensity signal without imaging.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to derive the cell count from a calibration lookup table correlating cell count against total light intensity from the sample chamber.

23. The device of claim 18, further comprising a display configured to output a cell count.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising a controller and wherein the signal detector is a light intensity detector and the controller is configured to derive a cell count from a light intensity signal without imaging.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to derive the cell count from a calibration lookup table correlating cell count against total light intensity from the sample chamber.

26. The device of claim 13, further comprising a pump, a controller and a solar power source connected to power the pump and controller, wherein the microfluidic unit includes a tube containing at least one wash, and a chemiluminescence activator, the tube being reversibly sealed at both ends and configured to connect with the second longitudinal channel and wherein the controller is configured automatically to pump fluids from the tube through the sample chamber and through the second longitudinal channel.

27. The device of claim 18, wherein the pump is controlled to vary a pumping rate depending on a sample or reagent passing through the sample chamber.

28. The device claim 13, wherein the analyzer contains a pump configured to generate a vacuum of at least 10 kPa.

29. A portable blood component analysis device, comprising:

a microfluidic unit with a sample chamber;

the sample chamber surface augmentation surface characterized by features with a maximum dimension between 50 and 100 microns, the surface augmentation surfaces having a biospecific surface configured to capture particles from blood;

an analyzer component having a signal detector and a receiving slot configured to receive the microfluidic unit and align the sample chamber with the signal detector, the signal detector including a light intensity detector;

the controller being configured to derive a cell count from a light intensity signal without imaging;

a tube containing at least one wash, and at least one air bubble, the tube being reversibly sealed at both ends and configured to connect with the second longitudinal channel;

a controller and a solar power source connected to power the pump and controller, wherein the microfluidic unit includes a tube containing at least one wash, and at least one air bubble, the tube being reversibly sealed at both ends and configured to connect with the sample chamber;

the controller being configured automatically to pump fluids from the tube through the sample chamber and through the second longitudinal channel;

the controller being further configured to derive the cell count from calibration data correlating cell count against total light intensity from the sample chamber.