Apparatus and method for sample delivery

A thermally-controlled sample delivery system comprising:

• a housing defining a channel, the channel comprising an open end and a closed end;
• at least one chemical reagent that is capable of interacting with a sample or a component of a sample disposed within the channel;
• an insulator partition within the channel, an exterior insulator in thermal communication with the channel, or a combination of both;
• a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel;
• and
• a volume controller, which is a temperature control device, in thermal communication with the closed end of the channel to regulate the volume of the thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel,
• wherein the volume controller is used to transport a sample in the channel.

A thermally-controlled sample delivery system comprising:

• a housing defining a channel, the channel comprising an open end and a closed end;
• an insulator partition within the channel, an exterior insulator in thermal communication with the channel, or a combination of both;
• a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel;
• and
• a volume controller, which is a temperature control device, in thermal communication with the closed end of the channel to regulate the volume of the thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel,
• wherein the volume controller is used to transport a sample in the channel and the channel is a polymeric tubing material or etched or molded into the surface of a substrate.

A thermally-controlled sample delivery system comprising:

• a housing defining a channel, the channel comprising an open end and a closed end;
• an insulator partition within the channel, an exterior insulator in thermal communication with the channel, or a combination of both;
• a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel;
• and
• a volume controller, which is a temperature control device, in thermal communication with the closed end of the channel to regulate the volume of the thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel,
• wherein the volume controller is used to transport a sample in the channel, and the channel is formed by enclosing a longitudinally open channel which has been etched or molded into an organic or an inorganic substrate defining said housing.

A thermally-controlled sample delivery system comprising:

• a housing defining a channel, the channel comprising an open end and a closed end;
• a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel;
• a volume controller, which is a temperature control device, in thermal communication with the closed end of the channel to regulate the volume of the thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel;
• and
• a second temperature control device defining a first conduit and a second conduit, where the temperature of each of the conduits is regulated independently, wherein the volume controller is used to transport a sample in the channel and the second temperature control device moves in a direction parallel to the length of the channel.

A scientific instrument comprising:

• a thermally-controlled sample delivery system comprising:
• a housing defining a channel, the channel comprising an open end and a closed end,
• an insulator partition within the channel, an exterior insulator in thermal communication with the channel, or a combination of both;
• a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel, and
• a volume controller, which is a temperature control device, in thermal communication with the closed end of the channel to regulate the volume of the thermally
• expandable fluid disposed within the channel, wherein the volume controller is used to transport a sample in the channel;
• and
• a device in fluid communication with the thermally-controlled sample delivery system, wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a blood testing device, an immunoassay device, a calorimetric device, an assay device, a toxin detection device, a chemical synthesis device, a sequencing device, a peptide or nucleotide sequencing device, a peptide or nucleotide amplification device, a peptide or nucleotide modification device, an enzyme screening device, a receptor-ligand reaction screening device, and combinations thereof.

A method for delivering a sample into a channel comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a thermally-controlled delivery system comprising:
• (i) a housing defining a channel, the channel comprising an open end and a closed end;
• (ii) an insulator partition within the channel, an exterior insulator in thermal communication with the channel, or a combination of both;
• and
• (iii) a temperature control device in thermal communication with the closed end of the channel;
• (b) exposing the open end of the channel to a sample;
• and
• (c) contracting a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel using the temperature control device to transport at least a portion of the sample into the channel.

A method for delivering a sample into a channel comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a thermally-controlled delivery system comprising:
• (i) a housing defining a channel, the channel comprising an open end and a closed end;
• and
• (ii) a temperature control device in thermal communication with the closed end of the channel;
• (b) exposing the open end of the channel to a sample;
• (c) contracting a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel using the temperature control device to transport at least a portion of the sample into the channel;
• (d) expanding the thermally expandable fluid to expel the portion of the sample into a sample plug formation device, wherein the sample plug formation device comprises:
• a housing defining
• a separation channel comprising a longitudinal axis, and
• an introduction channel which forms a juncture with the separation
• channel;
• (e) applying a first pressure differential to the introduction channel to transport a portion of the sample in communication with the introduction channel to the juncture;
• and
• (f) applying a second pressure differential to the separation channel to transport another portion of the sample in the juncture into the separation channel to form a sample plug.

A method for delivering samples into a channel separated by a gas, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a thermally-controlled delivery system comprising:
• (i) a housing defining a channel the channel comprising an open end and a closed end;
• and
• (ii) a temperature control device in thermal communication with the closed end of the channel;
• (b) exposing the open end of the channel to a first sample;
• (c) contracting a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel using the temperature control device to transport at least a portion of the first sample into the channel;
• (d) exposing the open end of the channel to a gas;
• (e) contracting a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel using the temperature control device to transport a volume of the gas into the channel;
• (f) exposing the open end of the channel to a second sample;
• (g) contracting a thermally expandable fluid disposed within the channel using the temperature control device to transport at least a portion of the second sample into the channel.