Ruggedized Apparatus for Analysis of Nucleic Acid and Proteins
AssigneeNetBio, Inc.
InventorsEugene Tan, Heung Chuan Lam, Gregory John Kellogg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides methods and systems for ruggedizing a nucleic acid analyzing apparatus. The ruggedized apparatus can be used reliably and effectively in uncontrolled environments, such as, for example at a crime scene to collect and analyze forensic data, as well as in semi-controlled environments, such as, for example at a point of care location.
Claims6
A system for finding the detection zone in an electrophoresis system comprising an electrophoretic chip and an instrument capable of separating and detecting of DNA fragments labeled with at least one fluorescent dye comprising:
- (a) a removable electrophoresis chip comprising:
- a substrate having top and bottom surfaces, further comprising an anode portion, a cathode portion, and a separation channel between the anode and cathode portions, and
- having top and bottom surfaces such that the top surface of said substrate layer is bonded with the bottom surface of said cover layer to form at least one microfluidic channel,
- a first via located at said anode and in fluidic communication with at least one of the microfluidic channels,
- a second via located at said cathode and in fluidic communication with at least one of the microfluidic channels,
- a detection zone located in the separation channel;
- and
- (b) an electrophoresis instrument capable of receiving said chip, comprising,
- (i) a processor,
- (ii) an optical system, said optical system comprising said fluorescence excitation energy beam and at least one light detector, and
- (iii) an electrical system for delivering said beam to said detection zone, and having an anode and a cathode, said anode in contact with said anode portion of said substrate, and said cathode in contact with said cathode portion of said substrate, and
- whereby the processor directs the beam through the detection zone, and changes in fluorescence are detected by the light detector to find and store the position of the separation channel, so that when said electrical system delivers a voltage from said cathode to said anode, moving said labeled DNA fragments from said cathode portion into said separation channel within the detection zone;
- said processor uses said position to measure fluorescent signal using said light detector.
A system for finding the position of a separation channel in a ruggedized electrophoresis system comprising at least one electrophoretic capillary and an instrument capable of separating and detecting of DNA fragments labeled with at least one fluorescent dye comprising:
- (a) a removable electrophoretic capillary comprising a separation channel and a detection zone
- (b) an electrophoresis instrument capable of receiving said capillary, comprising,
- (i) a processor,
- (ii) an optical system, said optical system comprising said fluorescence excitation energy beam, and at least one photodiode, positioned on a first side of said capillary when said capillary is inserted into said instrument, and at least one light detector, and, components of said optical system mounted on a baseplate wherein the baseplate is supported by a frame including a dampening device adapted to reduce transmission of vibrations;
- (iii) an electrical system for delivering said beam to said detection zone, and whereby the processor directs the beam to pass through the detection zone, and the scattered light from the separation channel is detected by said photodiode, thereafter, said processor finds and stores the position of the separation channel to detect data, so that when said electrical system delivers a voltage from said cathode to said anode, moving said labeled DNA fragments from said cathode portion into said separation channel within the detection zone;
- said processor uses said position to measure fluorescent signal using said light detector.
A system for finding the position of a separation channel in a ruggedized electrophoresis system comprising at least one electrophoretic capillary and an instrument capable of separating and detecting of DNA fragments labeled with at least one fluorescent dye comprising:
- (a) a removable electrophoretic capillary comprising a separation channel and a detection zone
- (b) an electrophoresis instrument capable of receiving said capillary, comprising,
- (i) a processor,
- (ii) an optical system, said optical system comprising said fluorescence excitation energy beam, and at least one photodiode, positioned on a first side of said capillary when said capillary is inserted into said instrument, and at least one light detector, and, components of said optical system mounted on a baseplate wherein the baseplate is supported by a frame including a dampening device adapted to reduce transmission of vibrations;
- (iii) an electrical system for delivering said beam to said detection zone,
- whereby the processor directs the beam through the detection zone, and changes in fluorescence are detected by the light detector to find and store the position of the separation channel, so that when said electrical system delivers a voltage to move said labeled DNA fragments into said separation channel within the detection zone;
- said processor uses said position to measure fluorescent signal using said light detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.