Biomolecule isolation and thermal processing
AssigneeBecton, Dickinson and Company
InventorsKieran Curran, Robert Roeven
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, devices and systems for hand-tag sample liquids, encapsulating liquids and magnetic particles are disclosed.
Claims22
A method for handling a sample liquid containing magnetic particles and an encapsulating liquid, the sample liquid and encapsulating liquid being immiscible, the method comprising:
- flowing the encapsulating liquid in a conduit;
- flowing the sample liquid in the conduit so that the sample liquid is (a) surrounded by the encapsulating liquid and (b) located at a predetermined trapping site within the conduit;
- immobilizing the magnetic particles at the trapping site by applying a magnetic field at the trapping site;
- heating the conduit at the trapping site, thereby heating the immobilized magnetic particles;
- and
- flowing an elution liquid in the conduit so that (a) the elution liquid is surrounded by the encapsulating liquid, (b) the sample liquid is flowed away from the trapping site, and (c) the elution liquid is flowed to the trapping site and surrounds the immobilized magnetic particles.
A method for handling a first sample liquid containing magnetic particles, a second sample liquid, and an encapsulating liquid, both sample liquids being immiscible with the encapsulating liquid, the method comprising:
- flowing the encapsulating liquid in a conduit;
- flowing the first sample liquid in the conduit so that the first sample liquid is (a) surrounded by the encapsulating liquid and (b) located at a predetermined trapping site within the conduit;
- immobilizing the magnetic particles at the trapping site by applying a magnetic field at the trapping site;
- heating the conduit at the trapping site, thereby heating the immobilized magnetic particles;
- flowing the first sample liquid in the conduit so that the first sample liquid is flowed away from the trapping site while the magnetic particles remain immobilized at the trapping site;
- and
- flowing the second sample liquid in the conduit so that the second sample liquid is (a) surrounded by the encapsulating liquid and (b) surrounds the immobilized magnetic particles.
20-27. (canceled)
A liquid handling system comprising a conduit having a predetermined trapping site, a pump configured to apply positive pressure, negative pressure, or no external pressure to a location in the conduit, a magnetic field source configured to apply a magnetic field at the trapping site when activated and substantially no magnetic field when not activated, a heating element configured to apply heat to the conduit at the trapping site, and a controller operably attached to the pump and the magnetic field source so that the controller can activate the pump and/or the magnetic field source, the controller being programmed to:
- activate the pump so that an encapsulating liquid is flowed in the conduit;
- activate the pump so that a sample liquid is flowed in the conduit in such a way that the sample liquid is (a) surrounded by the encapsulating liquid and (b) located at the trapping site within the conduit, the sample liquid containing magnetic particles;
- activate the magnetic field source so that the magnetic particles are immobilized at the trapping site;
- activate the heating element so that the immobilized magnetic particles are heated;
- and
- activate the pump so that an elution liquid is flowed in the conduit in such a way that (a) the elution liquid is surrounded by the encapsulating liquid, (b) the sample liquid is flowed away from the trapping site, and (c) the elution liquid is flowed to the trapping site and surrounds the magnetic particles.
29-31. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.