Microfluidic analysis system
First Claim
1. A biological sample analysis system comprising:
- a carrier fluid supply;
a sample supply;
a sample preparation stage for providing a flow of sample droplets enveloped in an immiscible primary carrier fluid;
at least one channel for continuous flow of the carrier fluid which carries the sample droplets;
at least one analysis stage for performing analysis of the sample droplets while continuously enveloped within the primary carrier fluid without the sample droplets contacting a solid surface of the channel; and
a controller for controlling the system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microfluidic analysis system (1) performs polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis on a bio sample. In a centrifuge (6) the sample is separated into DNA and RNA constituents. The vortex is created by opposing flow of a silicon oil primary carrier fluid effecting circulation by viscous drag. The bio sample exits the centrifuge enveloped in the primary carrier fluid. This is pumped by a flow controller (7) to a thermal stage (9). The thermal stage (9) has a number of microfluidic devices (70) each having thermal zones (71, 72, 73) in which the bio sample is heated or cooled by heat conduction to/from a thermal carrier fluid and the primary carrier fluid. Thus, the carrier fluids envelope the sample, control its flowrate, and control its temperature without need for moving parts at the micro scale.
91 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A biological sample analysis system comprising:
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a carrier fluid supply; a sample supply; a sample preparation stage for providing a flow of sample droplets enveloped in an immiscible primary carrier fluid; at least one channel for continuous flow of the carrier fluid which carries the sample droplets; at least one analysis stage for performing analysis of the sample droplets while continuously enveloped within the primary carrier fluid without the sample droplets contacting a solid surface of the channel; and a controller for controlling the system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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4. A biological sample analysis system comprising:
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a carrier fluid supply; a sample supply; a sample preparation stage for providing a flow of sample droplets enveloped in an immiscible primary carrier fluid; at least one channel for continuous flow of the carrier fluid which carries the sample droplets; at least one analysis stage for performing analysis of the sample in the continuous flow while enveloped within the primary carrier fluid without the sample contacting a solid surface of the channel; and a controller for controlling the system, wherein there are a plurality of analysis stages, and said analysis stages comprise a thermal cycling stage and an optical detection stage for performance of a polymerase chain reaction; wherein the sample preparation stage comprises a centrifuge for separation of samples from an input fluid and for introduction of the samples to the primary carrier fluid; and
wherein the centrifuge comprises a pair of opposed primary carrier fluid channels on either side of a vortex chamber, whereby flow of primary carrier fluid in said channels causes centrifuging of sample in the vortex chamber and flow of sample from the chamber into said channels. - View Dependent Claims (5, 7)
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21. A biological sample analysis system comprising:
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at least one channel for continuous flow of sample droplets enveloped in an immiscible carrier fluid, wherein the droplets do not contact a surface of the channel; and an analysis stage for analyzing the sample droplets while the droplets are flowing through the channel.
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Specification