Portable device for detecting molecule(s)

Inventors

Rawle, Christopher Bruce

Assignees

Ubiquitome Ltd • Ubiquitome Ltd

Abstract

An optical assembly 140 for a portable device for detecting molecule(s) within reaction vessels 110 comprises a collimator 403, a beam splitter arrangement and a plurality of guide arrangements 143. The collimator 403 collimates an excitation beam from an excitation source 400. The beam splitter arrangement splits the excitation beam from the collimator into a plurality of split excitation beams. Each beam splitter splits an incoming beam into two beams. In the case where the beam splitter arrangement comprises more than one beam splitter, the beam splitters are arranged in tiers such that a first tier comprises one beam splitter for receiving the excitation beam from the collimator, and each of the other tiers comprises one or more beam splitters. Each beam splitter in at least one of the other tiers receives a split excitation beam from a previous tier. Each guide arrangement 140 guides a respective one of the plurality of split excitation beams along an excitation path A from the beam splitter arrangement into a reaction vessel 110 containing a sample to stimulate an emission of a reaction light from the sample. Each guide arrangement 140 further guides reaction light from the sample along a detection path B towards a detector arrangement 142.

Core Innovation

The disclosed invention relates to a device for detecting molecule(s) that includes a sample chamber adapted to receive and contact a reaction vessel. The sample chamber comprises a vessel receptacle thermally coupled to a heat exchange device, where the vessel receptacle is shaped to substantially encompass the reaction vessel and is characterized by relatively high thermal conductivity and low thermal mass. The vessel receptacle is substantially insulated from the housing, which has an aperture at or adjacent an open end of the vessel receptacle to permit insertion of the reaction vessel.

The heat exchange device comprises a thermoelectric cooling device positioned to be spaced from the sample chamber of a reaction vessel received on the vessel receptacle. The thermoelectric cooling device has a first side in thermal communication with the vessel receptacle and a second side in thermal communication with a heat sink configured as a thermal reservoir maintained at a substantially constant temperature or within a substantially constant temperature range. A controller is associated with the heat exchange device and is configured to control a temperature profile of the sample chamber to perform a reaction.

The device further comprises an excitation assembly for inducing a reaction light in a reaction mixture in the reaction vessel and a detector for optically detecting the reaction light. A portable device embodiment is directed to quantitative polymerase chain reactions, where the controller varies the temperature of the vessel receptacle by transferring heat between the heat sink and the vessel receptacle to perform the reaction, while the excitation assembly and detector provide optical detection of the reaction light.

Claims Coverage

The document provides two independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive subject matter centers on a thermally controlled, insulated sample chamber using a thermoelectric cooling device with a substantially constant-temperature thermal reservoir, combined with excitation and optical detection of reaction light.

Both independent claims cover a portable, thermally controlled sample chamber that uses a thermoelectric cooling device interfacing between a vessel receptacle and a heat sink maintained at a substantially constant temperature or within a substantially constant temperature range, together with a controller for reaction temperature control and an optical system including an excitation assembly and a detector for reaction light.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications