Systems and Methods for Continuous Flow PCR Systems

A method for high throughput polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and analysis, comprising:

• instructing a liquid handling system of a PCR system to obtain a plurality of samples and a plurality of reagents for a PCR experiment using a processor;
• instructing a fluid pumping system of the PCR system to maintain a continuous flow of a transport fluid through a plurality of micro-channels in order to receive the plurality of samples and the plurality of reagents from the liquid handling system as droplets in the plurality of micro-channels and in order to mix the plurality of samples and the plurality of reagents using the geometry of the plurality of micro-channels producing a plurality of mixed sample droplets in the plurality of micro-channels using the processor;
• receiving from a post-bridge detection system of the PCR system one or more post-bridge detection values for each mixed sample droplet of the plurality of mixed sample droplets to determine if the each mixed sample droplet is mixed correctly using the processor;
• instructing a thermocycler of the PCR system to maintain one or more temperatures for cycling the temperature of the plurality of mixed sample droplets in the plurality of micro-channels using the processor;
• and
• receiving from an endpoint detection system of the PCR system one or more endpoint detection values for each mixed sample droplet of the plurality of mixed sample droplets to analyze the PCR experiment using the processor.

A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory and tangible computer-readable storage medium whose contents include a program with instructions being executed on a processor so as to perform a method for high throughput polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and analysis, the method comprising:

• providing a system, wherein the system comprises one or more distinct software modules, and wherein the distinct software modules comprise a liquid handling module, a fluid pumping module, a post-bridge detection module, a thermocycler module, and an endpoint detection module;
• instructing a liquid handling system of a PCR system to obtain a plurality of samples and a plurality of reagents for a PCR experiment using the liquid handling module;
• instructing a fluid pumping system of the PCR system to maintain a continuous flow of a transport fluid through a plurality of micro-channels in order to receive the plurality of samples and the plurality of reagents from the liquid handling system as droplets in the plurality of micro-channels and in order to mix the plurality of samples and the plurality of reagents using the geometry of the plurality of micro-channels producing a plurality of mixed sample droplets in the plurality of micro-channels using the fluid pumping module;
• receiving from a post-bridge detection system of the PCR system one or more post-bridge detection values for each mixed sample droplet of the plurality of mixed sample droplets to determine if the each mixed sample droplet is mixed correctly using the post-bridge detection module;
• instructing a thermocycler of the PCR system to maintain one or more temperatures for cycling the temperature of the plurality of mixed sample droplets in the plurality of micro-channels using the thermocycler module;
• and
• receiving from an endpoint detection system of the PCR system one or more endpoint detection values for each mixed sample droplet of the plurality of mixed sample droplets to analyze the PCR experiment using the endpoint detection module.