Microfluidic devices and methods for optimizing reactions
AssigneeCaliper Technologies Corp.
InventorsMichael Knapp, John Wallace Parce, Luc J. Bousse, Anne R. Kopf-Sill
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Abstract
Integrated systems, apparatus, software, and methods for performing biochemical analysis, including DNA sequencing, genomic screening, purification of nucleic acids and other biological components and drug screening are provided. Microfluidic devices, systems and methods for using these devices and systems for performing a wide variety of fluid operations are provided. The devices and systems of are used in performing fluid operations which require a large number of iterative, successive or parallel fluid manipulations, in a microscale, or sealed and readily automated format.
Claims22
A method of optimizing a chemical reaction, comprising:
- a) providing a microfluidic device or system which includes a reaction chamber or channel having at least one region with a cross sectional dimension of between about 0.1 μm and about 500 μm, a source of at least a first fluid reactant, a source of at least a second fluid reactant, and a fluid direction system for delivering a selected volume of the first and second reactants to the reaction chamber or channel;
- b) delivering a selected volume of the first reactant to the reaction chamber or channel;
- c) delivering a selected volume of the second reactant to the reaction chamber or channel;
- d) mixing the first reactant and the second reactant and incubating the mixed reactants for a selected time;
- e) detecting a product of a reaction between the first and second reactant;
- f) repeating steps b, c, d and e, wherein at least one selected parameter selected from the group consisting of the selected volume of the first reactant, the selected volume of the second reactant and the selected incubation time is varied as the steps are repeated, wherein the fluid direction system is operably coupled to a control system comprising programmed instructions for performing steps b, c, d, e and f;
- and,
- g) determining an optimal level for the selected volume of the first reactant, the selected volume of the second reactant, or the selected incubation time for producing the product.
A system for optimizing and performing a desired chemical reaction, comprising:
- a microfluidic device which includes a reaction chamber or channel, a source of a first reactant and a source of at least a second reactant, fluidly connected to the reaction chamber or channel;
- an electrokinetic fluid direction system for transporting a selected volume of the first reactant to the reaction chamber or channel;
- a detection system for detecting a result of the chemical reaction;
- and
- a control system operably coupled to the fluid direction system and programmed with instructions which direct the fluid direction system to deliver a first selected volume of first reactant and a first selected volume of second reactant to the reaction chamber or channel for mixing, which mixing produces a first chemical reaction, and instructions which direct the fluid direction system to deliver a second selected volume of first reactant and a second selected volume of the second reactant to the reaction chamber or channel for mixing, which mixing produces a second chemical reaction to produce a second chemical reaction, wherein the second selected volume of first reactant is varied from the first selected volume of first reactant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.