US 10,590,495 B2 · Methods, devices, and systems for processing multiple assays

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems for performing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and melt data acquisition according to a single slug approach in which a single slug in a microfluidic channel fills an entire thermal zone of the microfluidic channel, and the thermal zone used for both PCR temperature cycling and melt data acquisition. A detector may be configured to detect fluorescence from the thermal zone during the PCR temperature cycling for real-time PCR and/or during temperature ramping in the melt data acquisition. Slug position control may be achieved by detecting leading or trailing edges in a slug build target zone into which a slug passes after passing through the thermal zone. The single slug approach may break coupling between one or more events of the PCR amplification and melt data acquisition and enable events to be independently optimized.

Claims64

Dependent claims

A method for performing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and melt data acquisition in a single slug reaction system, the method comprising:

building a blanking slug by drawing a blanking solution into a microfluidic channel of a reaction chip of a microfluidic device until the leading edge of the blanking slug reaches a blanking slug building target region;
building a sample slug by drawing a sample solution into the microfluidic channel of the reaction chip of the microfluidic device until the trailing edge of the blanking slug reaches a sample slug building target region;
heating a portion of the sample slug in a thermal zone of the reaction chip to cycle the temperature of the portion of the sample slug in the thermal zone according to a PCR amplification profile;
heating the portion of the sample slug in the thermal zone of the reaction chip according to a temperature ramp profile;
and
during heating of the portion of the sample slug in the thermal zone according to the temperature ramp profile, measuring fluorescence from the portion of the sample slug in the thermal zone.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods, devices, and systems for processing multiple assays

Life of this patent

Methods, devices, and systems for processing multiple assays

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims64