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US 9,005,544 B2Granted
Digital microfluidic platform for radiochemistry
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsR. Michael Van Dam, Chang-Jin Kim, Supin Chen, Huijiang Ding, Gaurav Jitendra Shah, Pei Yuin Keng
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods of performing microchemical reactions and electro-wetting-on-dielectric devices (EWOD devices) for use in performing those reactions. These devices and method are particularly suited for preparing radiochemical compounds, particularly compounds containing 18F.
Claims17
A device for use in performing microchemical reactions in one or more droplets comprising:
- a first substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface and having one or more electrically defined fluid paths along the upper surface thereof, each fluid path comprising a plurality of conductive electrode pads spaced from and electrically insulated from the fluid path, the plurality of conductive pads operatively coupled to electrically conductive lines for delivering electrical signals to the conductive pads to provide electrically directed movement of the one or more droplets along the electrically defined fluid path;
- a second substrate spaced apart from the first surface of the substrate and defining an upper boundary of the electrically defined fluid paths;
- one or more reaction sites or heater sites located along the electrically defined fluid paths on the first substrate;
- one or more fluid delivery sites located on or adjacent to the one or more electrically defined fluid paths;
- a fluid delivery device for providing droplets onto the upper surface of the first substrate, the delivery device comprising:
- a sealed container for holding liquid therein;
- a delivery tube disposed beneath the first substrate and having one end disposed in the container and a second, opposing end extending upward into a hole extending between the upper surface and the lower surface of the first substrate;
- a pulsed source of pressurized gas operatively coupled to an interior volume of the sealed container;
- and
- droplet control circuitry operatively coupled to the electrically conductive lines, wherein the droplet control circuitry is configured to measure the volume of a droplet generated at the one or more delivery sites, wherein the droplet control circuitry is configured to turn off the pulsed source of pressured gas after a droplet has reached a threshold size.
7 more elements
A method of performing microchemical reactions in one or more droplets comprising:
- providing an electro-wetting-on-dielectric device (EWOD) comprising a first substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface and having one or more electrically defined fluid paths along the upper surface thereof, each fluid path comprising a plurality of conductive electrode pads spaced from and electrically insulated from the fluid path, the plurality of conductive pads operatively coupled to electrically conductive lines for delivering electrical signals to the conductive pads to provide electrically directed movement of the one or more droplets along the electrically defined fluid path, a second substrate spaced apart from the first surface of the substrate and defining an upper boundary of the electrically defined fluid paths, one or more reaction sites or heater sites located along the electrically defined fluid paths on the first substrate, and one or more fluid delivery sites located on or adjacent to the one or more electrically defined fluid paths;
- delivering a plurality of droplets onto the upper surface of the first substrate with a delivery device, the delivery device comprising a sealed container for holding liquid therein, a delivery tube disposed beneath the first substrate and having one end disposed in the container and a second, opposing end extending upward into a hole extending between the upper surface and the lower surface of the first substrate, wherein delivery comprises pulsing a source of pressurized gas operatively coupled to an interior volume of the sealed container;
- and
- advancing the plurality of droplets to the one or more reaction sites or heater sites by selective actuation of the plurality of electrically conductive pads.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.