Droplet-based affinity assays
First Claim
1. A method of detecting a target analyte in a sample, the method comprising:
- (a) executing electrowetting-mediated droplet operations and thereby;
(i) combining (A) one or more immunoassay reagent droplets comprising magnetically-responsive beads having affinity for the target analyte with (B) one or more sample droplets potentially comprising the target analyte to yield (C) a first combined droplet;
(ii) beginning with the combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol using electrowetting-mediated droplet operations to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a first washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads; and
(iii) combining (A) the droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads with (B) a droplet comprising a reporter molecule having affinity for target analyte captured on the magnetically-responsive beads to yield (C) a second combined droplet;
(iv) beginning with the second combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads;
(b) detecting a signal from the second washed droplet which corresponds to the presence, absence and/or quantity of the analyte in the sample.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of detecting a target analyte in a sample, including executing electrowetting-mediated droplet operations and thereby: combining one or more immunoassay reagent droplets comprising magnetically-responsive beads having affinity for the target analyte with one or more sample droplets potentially comprising the target analyte to yield a first combined droplet; beginning with the combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a first washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads; and combining the droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads with a droplet comprising a reporter molecule having affinity for target analyte captured on the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second combined droplet; beginning with the second combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads; detecting a signal from the second washed droplet which corresponds to the presence, absence and/or quantity of the analyte in the sample.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method of detecting a target analyte in a sample, the method comprising:
-
(a) executing electrowetting-mediated droplet operations and thereby; (i) combining (A) one or more immunoassay reagent droplets comprising magnetically-responsive beads having affinity for the target analyte with (B) one or more sample droplets potentially comprising the target analyte to yield (C) a first combined droplet; (ii) beginning with the combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol using electrowetting-mediated droplet operations to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a first washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads; and (iii) combining (A) the droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads with (B) a droplet comprising a reporter molecule having affinity for target analyte captured on the magnetically-responsive beads to yield (C) a second combined droplet; (iv) beginning with the second combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads; (b) detecting a signal from the second washed droplet which corresponds to the presence, absence and/or quantity of the analyte in the sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification