Assay plate and uses thereof

A microfluidic plate assembly, comprising:

• a top plate having a periphery defined at least in part by a left edge and an upper edge,
• a plurality of microfluidic modules disposed within said top plate, said plurality of microfluidic modules being arranged in a rectilinear matrix of rows and columns,
• each said microfluidic module having an elongated microfluidic channel extending between an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet, the portion of said microfluidic channel between said upstream inlet and downstream outlet comprising a detection area adapted for taking optical measurements, each said detection area being formed in a serpentine pattern composed of a plurality of alternating runs connected by intervening loop ends, each said detection area having a geometric center,
• each said microfluidic module including a well disposed in fluid communication with the corresponding said upstream inlet of said microfluidic channel, said well being laterally offset from said detection area, and
• said geometric center of each said detection area being spaced apart from the left edge of said top plate according to the formula 14.38 mm+(9*x) mm where x is a non-negative integer, said geometric center of each said detection area being spaced apart from upper edge of said top plate according to the formula 11.24 mm+(9*y) mm where y is a non-negative integer, and
• wherein for each said detection area said run in said serpentine pattern is spaced apart from the next adjacent run by a generally consistent lateral spacing, said plurality of runs in said serpentine pattern extending parallel to one another, each of said runs being canted relative to said rows of said matrix at a cant angle, wherein said cant angle of said runs of said serpentine pattern are in the range of about 15-35 degrees.

A microfluidic plate assembly, comprising:

• a top plate having a top surface and an underside, said top plate having a periphery defined at least in part by a left edge and an upper edge,
• a plurality of microfluidic modules disposed within said top plate, said plurality of microfluidic modules being arranged in a rectilinear matrix of rows and columns,
• each said microfluidic module having an elongated microfluidic channel extending between an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet, the portion of said microfluidic channel between said upstream inlet and downstream outlet comprising a detection area adapted for taking optical measurements, each said detection area being formed in a serpentine pattern composed of a plurality of alternating runs connected by intervening loop ends, each said detection area having a geometric center,
• an array of micro-posts disposed within each said microfluidic channel, each said micro-post in said array extending perpendicularly from said top surface of said top plate toward said underside,
• each said microfluidic module including a well disposed in fluid communication with the corresponding said upstream inlet of said microfluidic channel, said well being laterally offset from said detection area,
• said geometric center of each said detection area being spaced apart from the left edge of said top plate according to the formula 14.38 mm+(9*x) mm where x is a non-negative integer, said geometric center of each said detection area being spaced apart from upper edge of said top plate according to the formula 11.24 mm+(9*y) mm where y is a non-negative integer, and
• wherein each said microfluidic channel has a generally consistent channel height along the length thereof, each said micro-post having a post height that is about 15-20% of said channel height, said array of micro-posts equally distributed throughout the entirety of said detection area, each said micro-post in said array having a generally cylindrical shape, wherein said left and upper edges of said top plate are disposed generally perpendicularly with respect to one another, and each said row of said matrix is spaced apart from the next adjacent said row a lateral distance of 9 mm, each said column of said matrix being spaced apart from the next adjacent said column a lateral distance of 9 mm, wherein for each said detection area said run in said serpentine pattern is spaced apart from the next adjacent run by a generally consistent lateral spacing, said plurality of runs in said serpentine pattern extending parallel to one another, each of said runs being canted relative to said rows of said matrix at a cant angle, and wherein said cant angle of said runs of said serpentine pattern are in the range of about 15-35 degrees.