System and method for processing and detecting nucleic acids
First Claim
1. A method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a biological sample, with a cartridge including a fluidic pathway coupled to a sample port and a reagent port, wherein the method comprises:
- aligning the cartridge at a cartridge platform of a molecular diagnostic module, the cartridge platform having a set of slots, and the molecular diagnostic module having a cam module contacting a set of pins aligned with the set of slots;
dispensing the biological sample into the fluidic pathway through the sample port of the cartridge;
moving the cam module by transitioning the actuator into an extended configuration, thereby displacing a subset of the set of pins through the set of slots of the cartridge platform and occluding the fluidic pathway at a subset of occlusion positions to form a first truncated portion of the fluidic pathway for controlling the flow of the biological sample through the fluidic pathway;
separating a volume of nucleic acids from the biological sample within the first truncated portion of the fluidic pathway;
removing a portion of the volume of nucleic acids from the fluidic pathway through at least one of the reagent port and the sample port of the cartridge;
combining the portion of the volume of nucleic acids with a molecular diagnostic reagent to produce a nucleic acid-reagent mixture; and
delivering the nucleic acid-reagent mixture through a second portion of the fluidic pathway to a detection chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a set of biological samples, comprising: a capture plate and a capture plate module configured to facilitate binding of nucleic acids within the set of biological samples to magnetic beads; a molecular diagnostic module configured to receive nucleic acids bound to magnetic beads, isolate nucleic acids, and analyze nucleic acids, comprising a cartridge receiving module, a heating/cooling subsystem and a magnet configured to facilitate isolation of nucleic acids, a valve actuation subsystem configured to control fluid flow through a microfluidic cartridge for processing nucleic acids, and an optical subsystem for analysis of nucleic acids; a fluid handling system configured to deliver samples and reagents to components of the system to facilitate molecular diagnostic protocols; and an assay strip configured to combine nucleic acid samples with molecular diagnostic reagents for analysis of nucleic acids.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a biological sample, with a cartridge including a fluidic pathway coupled to a sample port and a reagent port, wherein the method comprises:
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aligning the cartridge at a cartridge platform of a molecular diagnostic module, the cartridge platform having a set of slots, and the molecular diagnostic module having a cam module contacting a set of pins aligned with the set of slots; dispensing the biological sample into the fluidic pathway through the sample port of the cartridge; moving the cam module by transitioning the actuator into an extended configuration, thereby displacing a subset of the set of pins through the set of slots of the cartridge platform and occluding the fluidic pathway at a subset of occlusion positions to form a first truncated portion of the fluidic pathway for controlling the flow of the biological sample through the fluidic pathway; separating a volume of nucleic acids from the biological sample within the first truncated portion of the fluidic pathway; removing a portion of the volume of nucleic acids from the fluidic pathway through at least one of the reagent port and the sample port of the cartridge; combining the portion of the volume of nucleic acids with a molecular diagnostic reagent to produce a nucleic acid-reagent mixture; and delivering the nucleic acid-reagent mixture through a second portion of the fluidic pathway to a detection chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a set of biological samples with a cartridge having a set of fluidic pathways defined by an elastomeric layer, the method comprising:
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combining each biological sample of the set of biological samples with a quantity of magnetic beads to produce a set of nucleic acid-magnetic bead samples; aligning the cartridge at a cartridge platform of a molecular diagnostic module, the cartridge platform having a set of slots, and the molecular diagnostic module having a cam module contacting a set of pins aligned with the set of slots; transferring substantially all of each nucleic acid-magnetic bead sample of the set of nucleic acid-magnetic bead samples to a corresponding fluidic pathway of a set of fluidic pathways; moving the cam module by transitioning the actuator into an extended configuration, thereby displacing a subset of the set of pins through the set of slots of the cartridge platform, and thereby manipulating the elastomeric layer to occlude at least one fluidic pathway of the set of fluidic pathways at a subset of occlusion positions for controlling a flow through the fluidic pathway; and detecting nucleic acids using a set of detection chambers coupled to the set of fluidic pathways. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for processing and detecting nucleic acids within a cartridge having a fluidic pathway including a set of occlusion positions defined by an elastomeric layer of the cartridge, the method comprising:
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aligning the cartridge at a cartridge platform of a molecular diagnostic module, the cartridge platform having a set of slots, and the molecular diagnostic module having a cam module contacting a set of pins aligned with the set of slots and an actuator that provides relative displacement between the cartridge platform and the set of pins; moving the cam module by transitioning the actuator into an extended configuration, thereby displacing a first subset of the set of pins through the set of slots of the cartridge platform, and thereby manipulating the elastomeric layer to occlude the fluidic pathway at a first subset of the set of occlusion positions, thus defining a first truncated fluidic pathway passing through a magnetic field for controlling a flow through the fluidic pathway; capturing a sample of nucleic acids bound to magnetic beads within the first truncated fluidic pathway, by the magnetic field; and moving the cam module, thereby displacing a second subset of the set of pins through the set of slots of the cartridge platform, and thereby manipulating the elastomeric layer to occlude the fluidic pathway, through the elastomeric layer, at a second subset of the set of occlusion positions, thus defining a second truncated fluidic pathway containing the sample of nucleic acids bound to magnetic beads. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification