Droplet-based particle sorting
AssigneeAdvanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
InventorsMichael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan
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Abstract
The present invention relates to droplet-based particle sorting. According to one embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes: (a) a suspension of particles; and (b) electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations using droplets comprising particles. A method of transporting a particle is also provided, wherein the method includes providing a droplet comprising the particle and transporting the droplet on a droplet microactuator.
Claims15
A method of providing a set of droplets, each comprising a single polymeric particle, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a droplet comprising a suspension of polymeric particles on an electrowetting droplet actuator surrounded by an oil medium;
- (b) dispensing a droplet from the droplet of (a) to provide dispensed droplets, wherein the dispensing is on the electrowetting droplet actuator and is electrowetting-mediated;
- and
- (c) determining whether each of the dispensed droplets on the electrowetting droplet actuator comprises a single polymeric particle;
- and
- (d) sorting the dispensed droplets on the electrowetting droplet actuator based on results of the determining step using electrowetting-mediated droplet operations.
A method of providing a droplet comprising a single polymeric particle, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a droplet comprising a suspension of polymeric particles;
- (b) dispensing from the droplet of (a) to provide dispensed droplets, wherein the dispensing comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations;
- and
- (c) determining whether each dispensed droplet comprises a single polymeric particle;
- (d) sorting the dispensed droplets based on results of the determining step, wherein the sorting comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations;
- and
- (e) transporting back to the suspension of polymeric particles dispensed droplets not comprising a single polymeric particle, wherein the transporting comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations.
A method of providing a droplet comprising a single polymeric particle, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a droplet comprising a suspension of polymeric particles;
- (b) dispensing from the droplet of (a) to provide dispensed droplets, wherein the dispensing comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations;
- and
- (c) determining whether each dispensed droplet comprises a single polymeric particle;
- (d) sorting the dispensed droplets based on results of the determining step, wherein the sorting comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations;
- (e) transporting back to the suspension of polymeric particles dispensed droplets not comprising a single polymeric particle, wherein the transporting comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations;
- and
- (f) combining a droplet comprising a single polymeric particle with a droplet comprising a substance which may interact with the single polymeric particle, wherein the transporting comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations.
A method of providing a droplet comprising a single polymeric particle, the method comprising:
- (a) providing on a droplet actuator without fixed microchannels a droplet comprising a suspension of polymeric particles;
- (b) dispensing on the droplet actuator from the droplet of (a) to provide dispensed droplets on the droplet actuator, wherein the dispensing comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations;
- and
- (c) determining whether each dispensed droplet comprises a single polymeric particle;
- (d) sorting on the droplet actuator the dispensed droplets based on results of the determining step, wherein the sorting comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations;
- and
- (e) transporting on the droplet actuator to the suspension of polymeric particles dispensed droplets not comprising a single polymeric particle, wherein the transporting comprises electrowetting-mediated droplet operations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.