SAMPLE ANALYSIS SYSTEM

• US 20120149603A1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akonni Biosystems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Akonni Biosystems, Inc.
• Inventors: COONEY, Christopher G., Belgrader, Phillip, Thakore, Nitu Harshendu, Qu, Peter Qiang, Garber, Steve, Bueno, Arial
• Granted Patent: US 10,300,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 506/39
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/04 Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0678 Facilitating or initiating evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/065 sliding valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0683 mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50855 using modular assemblies of strips or of individual wells
• 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

Abstract

An integrated sample analysis system is disclosed. The sample analysis system contains (1) a sample preparation/analysis module having sample purification device comprising a monolith that binds specifically to nucleic acids and a sample analysis device comprising a microarray enclosed in a reaction chamber having a hydrophilic interior surface; (2) a temperature control module comprising a thermocycler having a thermally conductive temperature-control bladder; and (3) an imaging device capable of capturing an image of the microarray in the reaction chamber.

Claims

1. A disposable reaction cassette for a sample analysis device, comprising:

a plurality of containers, each having an open top end and a closed bottom end, wherein at least one of said plurality of containers is pre-packaged with a reagent needed for a sample analysis procedure and is sealed with a pierceable or removable cover at the top end of said container; and

a flow strip comprising;

a plurality of ports; and

one or more reaction chambers connected to one or more of said plurality of ports, each reaction chamber comprises a microarray,

wherein said plurality of ports interact with said sample analysis device via one or more fluid communication devices to establish fluid communication between said plurality of ports and said sample analysis device.

2. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 1, wherein said flow strip further comprises one or more pin valves that control fluid flow within said flow strip.

3. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of ports comprises means for establishing fluid communication with said one or more fluid communication devices.

4. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 3, wherein each of said one or more fluid communication devices comprises a pipette tip and wherein said means for establishing fluid communication with said one or more fluid communication devices comprises a pierceable septum or a dome valve.

5. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 4, further comprising one or more sample purification devices, wherein said one or more sample purification devices serve as said one or more fluid communication devices.

6. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 5, wherein said sample purification device is a pipette tip comprising a monolith filter that binds specifically to nucleic acids.

7. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 1, wherein said flow strip further comprises an absorbent.

8. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 7, wherein said absorbent is in fluid communication with said one or more reaction chambers via one or more pin valves.

9. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 1, wherein said plurality of containers comprise one or more containers pre-packaged with a plurality of lysis beads and a magnetic stirrer.

10. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 1, further comprises a mixing tower connected to said flow strip via one of said plurality of ports.

11. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 1, wherein said plurality of containers are arranged in the form of a 96-well plate.

12. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 11, wherein said plurality of containers comprise one or more containers having a lyopholized reagent pre-packaged therein and one or more containers having a liquid reagent pre-packaged therein.

13. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 12, wherein said plurality of containers further comprise one or more containers having an absorbent pre-packaged therein.

14. The disposable reaction cassette of claim 12, wherein said plurality of containers further comprise one or more containers pre-packaged with a plurality of lysis beads and a magnetic stirrer.

15. A flow strip comprising:

a plurality of ports, each port comprises a pierceable septum or a dome valve for establishing fluid communication with a sample purification device; and

a plurality of reaction chambers, connected to said plurality of ports, wherein each reaction chamber contains a microarray.

16. The flow strip of claim 15, further comprising an absorbent, wherein said absorbent is in fluid communication with said plurality of reaction chambers via said pin valves.

17. A flow control manifold, comprising:

a manifold body;

a plurality of fluid supply ports formed on said manifold body, said fluid supply ports are adapted to be connected to a fluid supply device;

a plurality of plunger channels formed within said manifold body, wherein each plunger channel having a plunger channel inlet at one end and a plunger channel outlet at another end; and

a plurality of plungers that are movable along the length of said plunger channels, wherein each plunger comprises a seal that seals against the interior wall of the plunger channel in which said plunger is located and wherein said plungers enter said plunger channels from said plunger channel inlets,

wherein each of said plurality of fluid supply ports is connected to a plunger channel at a location in the proximity of the plunger channel inlet of said plunger channel.

18. The flow control manifold of claim 17, further comprising a channel selector for directing fluid flow from a fluid source to a desired plunger channel through a fluid supply port on said flow strip.

19. A flow-control device, comprising:

a selector channel having a plurality of outlet ports, and

a linear motion actuator comprising;

an elongated shaft; and

a motor that controls the linear movement of said shaft,

wherein said elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and an enclosed fluid communication channel within said shaft, said fluid communication channel extends from a first opening at said proximal end of said shaft to a second opening at said distal end of said shaft, said first opening is adapted to be connected to a fluid source, and said second opening is flanked by two seals on said shaft such that when said shaft is placed in said selector channel, said two seals seal against the interior wall of said selector channel and form a fluid communication passage between said two seals, wherein a fluid communication is established between said fluid source and an outlet port of said flow-control device when said fluid communication passage is formed between said second opening and said outlet port.

20. An integrated sample analysis system, comprising:

(1) a sample preparation/analysis module comprising;

a sample purification device comprising a monolith that binds specifically to nucleic acids; and

a sample analysis device comprising a microarray enclosed in a reaction chamber having a hydrophilic interior surface;

(2) a temperature control module comprising;

a thermocycler comprising a thermally conductive temperature-control bladder, said bladder being configured such that, upon receiving said temperature-control substance, said bladder expands to abut an exterior surface of said reaction chamber to enable thermal exchange between said temperature-control substance and the internal volume of said reaction chamber; and

(3) an imaging device positioned to capture an image of said microarray in said reaction chamber.