Microfluidic cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9988676-B2
Application number	US-201514744889-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Feb 22, 2012
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A microfluidic cartridge can include at least one nucleic acid analysis portion. Each nucleic acid analysis portion can include a fluidic network being configured for micro-liter volumes or less, a sample input at the beginning of the fluidic network, a plurality of vent ports and fluidic channels in the fluidic network configured to effectuate hydrodynamic movement within the fluidic network, an extraction mixture reservoir in the fluidic network, a mixing chamber in the fluidic network, an amplification chamber in the fluidic network, and a separation channel in the fluidic network. A nucleic acid analyzer can be capable of performing nucleic acid analysis using the microfluidic cartridge. A nucleic acid analysis method can be performed using the microfluidic cartridge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nucleic acid analyzer, comprising:
a microfluidic cartridge module configured to accept at least one microfluidic cartridge comprising:
at least one nucleic acid analysis portion, each nucleic acid analysis portion including:
a fluidic network defined within the nucleic acid analysis portion, the fluidic network being configured for micro-liter volumes or less, the fluidic network including at least one frangible seal formed from a depression defined in a fluidic channel with a fluid flow resistance determined by a depth and a width of the depression;
a sample input at a beginning of the fluidic network, the sample input having a fitting that is configured to be mated to a complementary fitting of a sample acceptor to form a fluid-tight seal;
a plurality of vent ports and fluidic channels in the fluidic network configured to effectuate hydrodynamic movement within the fluidic network;
an extraction mixture reservoir in the fluidic network, the extraction mixture reservoir being configured to hold an enzymatic mixture for performing nucleic acid extraction on a sample provided by the sample acceptor;
a mixing chamber in the fluidic network, the mixing chamber being configured to mix amplification reagents and a portion of an extracted nucleic acid mixture; and

an amplification chamber in the fluidic network, the amplification chamber being configured to hold an amplification mixture during nucleic acid amplification;
a pressure module configured to be coupled to the plurality of vent ports to effectuate hydrodynamic movement within the fluidic network of the microfluidic cartridge;
an extraction thermal module configured to impart temperatures to any of the microfluidic cartridge and the sample acceptor during nucleic acid extraction;
an amplification thermal module configured to impart temperatures to the microfluidic cartridge during nucleic acid amplification;
a high voltage module configured to apply high voltages on the microfluidic cartridge;
a power module configured to provide operation powers to the nucleic acid analyzer;
a detection module configured to detect labeled or dyed nucleic acids; and
a controller module configured to control the pressure module, the extraction thermal module, the amplification thermal module, the high voltage module, the power module, and the detection module according to a control procedure.

2. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the pressure module is configured to break one or more frangible seals in the fluidic network and/or actuate one or more valves of the microfluidic cartridge during nucleic acid analysis.

3. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the pressure module is configured to provide pneumatic positive and/or negative pressure.

4. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the pressure module includes a hydrodynamic pressure/vacuum system.

5. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the pressure module includes a solenoid manifold.

6. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the extraction thermal module is configured to heat the sample acceptor by contact heating.

7. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the amplification thermal module includes a non-contact heating unit and a temperature sensing unit.

8. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 7 , wherein the non-contact heating unit includes an infrared light source.

9. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 7 , wherein the temperature sensing unit includes an infrared pyrometer to measure temperature of a portion of the microfluidic cartridge.

10. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the detection module comprises:
a laser source unit configured to emit a laser beam;
a detector unit configured to detect fluorescence; and
an optical unit configured to direct the laser beam to a separation channel to excite fluorescent molecules to emit fluorescence and to then direct fluorescence to the detector unit for detection.

11. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 10 , wherein the optical unit includes a self-calibrating array of confocal optical components configured to perform calibration in conjunction with an alignment dye.

12. The nucleic acid analyzer of claim 1 , further comprising a computing module operationally coupled to the controller module, the computing module having a user interface.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp
• Microlab Diagnostics Inc
• Leidos Innovations Tech Inc

Inventors

• Egan Michael E
• Root Brian
• Scott Orion N
• South Douglas J
• Bienvenue Joan M
• Kinnon Paul
• Landers James
• Saul David
• Tsuei An-Chi
• Hayes Jason
• Springer Matthew
• Solomon Matthew
• Van Ruijven Peter

Classifications

• B01L3/502715 Primary

  characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces · CPC title

• B01L2300/14

  Means for pressure control · CPC title

• B01L2400/0487

  fluid pressure, pneumatics · CPC title

• B01L3/502738

  characterised by integrated valves (throttle valves in microfluidic sample containers B01L3/502746) · CPC title

• B01L2300/0663

  Whole sensors · CPC title