Self-contained biological assay apparatus, methods, and applications
First Claim
1. An automated process for isolating, amplifying, and analyzing a target nucleic acid sequence that may be present in a fluid test sample, comprising:
- providing a dispensing system;
providing a pneumatic manifold that operates a microfluidic system having a fluidic transport layer and at least one fluidic channel disposed in the fluidic transport layer;
at least one sample input reservoir, at least one reagent reservoir, at least one analysis reservoir, and at least one temperature-controlled amplification/reaction reactor attached to the fluidic transport layer;
introducing the fluid test sample into the at least one fluidic channel;
providing at least one reagent to the at least one fluidic channel from at least one reagent reservoir that is in fluid connection with the fluidic transport layer;
combining the fluid test sample and the at least one reagent in the at least one fluidic channel, the at least one sample input reservoir, or the at least one temperature-controlled amplification/reaction reactor;
transporting the fluid test sample to the at least one temperature-controlled amplification/reaction reactor that is in operative communication with the fluidic transport layer;
incubating the fluid test sample in the temperature-controlled amplification/reaction reactor under conditions sufficient to permit the target nucleic acid sequence to be amplified;
transporting the incubated fluid test sample to the at least one analysis reservoir; and
analyzing the amplified target nucleic acid sequence from the incubated test sample,wherein the test sample is transported from a starting location in the fluidic transport layer to the at least one analysis reservoir separately from the pneumatic manifold and the dispensing system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An automated process for isolating, amplifying, and analyzing a target nucleic acid sequence that may be present in a fluid test sample, comprising:
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providing a dispensing system; providing a pneumatic manifold that operates a microfluidic system having a fluidic transport layer and at least one fluidic channel disposed in the fluidic transport layer;
at least one sample input reservoir, at least one reagent reservoir, at least one analysis reservoir, and at least one temperature-controlled amplification/reaction reactor attached to the fluidic transport layer;introducing the fluid test sample into the at least one fluidic channel; providing at least one reagent to the at least one fluidic channel from at least one reagent reservoir that is in fluid connection with the fluidic transport layer; combining the fluid test sample and the at least one reagent in the at least one fluidic channel, the at least one sample input reservoir, or the at least one temperature-controlled amplification/reaction reactor; transporting the fluid test sample to the at least one temperature-controlled amplification/reaction reactor that is in operative communication with the fluidic transport layer; incubating the fluid test sample in the temperature-controlled amplification/reaction reactor under conditions sufficient to permit the target nucleic acid sequence to be amplified; transporting the incubated fluid test sample to the at least one analysis reservoir; and analyzing the amplified target nucleic acid sequence from the incubated test sample, wherein the test sample is transported from a starting location in the fluidic transport layer to the at least one analysis reservoir separately from the pneumatic manifold and the dispensing system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification