Apparatuses and methods for pathogen detection using microfluidic biochips

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11027273-B2
Application number	US-201615555002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2016
Priority date	Mar 1, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Certain embodiments are directed to a paper hybrid microfluidic microplate. In certain aspects, the hybrid microfluidic microplate is a low-cost, sensitive, and fast diagnostic apparatus for detecting pathogens, diagnosing disease and other bio-applications, especially for low-resource settings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid microfluidic microplate apparatus comprising:
a top layer comprising at least one inlet reservoir coupled to a microchannel,
a middle layer positioned beneath the top layer, said middle layer comprises at least one funnel shaped well comprising an upper well portion having a first diameter of 1 mm (millimeter) to 5 mm and a lower well portion having a second diameter of 0.1 mm to 1 mm, wherein a top portion of the upper well portion is connected to the microchannel in the top layer, and a bottom portion of the upper well portion is connected to a top portion of the lower well portion through a junction, and the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter,
an insert positioned inside the upper well portion and over the junction of the upper well portion and the lower well portion, said insert forms a separate layer within the at least one funnel shaped well and is made of a first material comprising a porous paper comprising cellulose, nitrocellulose, nylon, or any combinations thereof, and
a bottom layer positioned beneath the middle layer, said bottom layer comprises an outlet hole coupled to at least one outlet channel, said at least one outlet channel is coupled to a bottom portion of the lower well portion, and the outlet hole is fluidly connected to the inlet reservoir via the microchannel in the top layer, upper well portion, lower well portion, and at least one outlet channel,
wherein the top layer, the middle layer and the bottom layer is made with a second material comprising a polymer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a polycarbonate (PC), and a polyethylene terephthalate (PETG).

Assignees

• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Li Xiujun
• TIMILSINA Sanjay

Classifications

• G01N33/54366

  Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing · CPC title

• B01L2300/123

  Flexible; Elastomeric · CPC title

• B01L2300/0816

  Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions · CPC title

• B01L2300/0819

  Microarrays; Biochips · CPC title

• B01L2300/069

  Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid · CPC title