Apparatus and methods to rapidly detect, separate, purify, and quantify various viruses from cells, cultured medium and other fluids

Inventors

Antoszczyk, Slawomir • Weber, Monika • Weber, Robert

Assignees

Fluid Screen Inc

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided herein for rapid detection, separation, purification, and quantification of viral particles in a sample. According to some embodiments, a microfluidic device is provided for receiving the sample which may contain viral particles. An electrode of the microfluidic device may be used to generate dielectrophoretic (DEP) and/or electroosmotic (EO) forces acting on the sample. The applied DEP and/or EO forces may immobilize components of the sample on the surface of the electrode, may aggregate viral particles of the sample in one region of the microfluidic device, and may separate other components of the sample from the viral particles. The techniques may be performed rapidly, for example, in eight hours or less, and may not affect infectivity of the viral particles. In some embodiments, the sample may be labeled to enhance a response of one or more of the sample components to the DEP and/or EO forces.

Core Innovation

The invention determines a ratio of full capsid viral particles to empty and/or partially filled capsids in a sample by selectively labeling only the empty and/or partially filled capsids with a chemical agent. The labeled empty and/or partially filled capsids are then separated from the full capsid viral particles using at least one dielectrophoretic force generated by at least one electrode arranged in a microfluidic device, and the ratio is determined after generation of the dielectrophoretic force.

The separation is achieved at least in part due to the labeling of the empty and/or partially filled capsids, so that the empty and/or partially filled capsids and the full capsid viral particles separate from each other. In dependent embodiments, the labeling increases a difference between dielectric function and/or complex permittivity of the empty and/or partially filled capsids and a dielectric function and/or complex permittivity of the full capsid viral particles, or alternatively provides a difference based on mass.

In system embodiments, the invention includes a microfluidic device comprising at least one channel with at least one electrode arranged therein, and a controller configured to direct the sample through the channel and generate the dielectrophoretic force to cause separation of the capsids due to selective labeling. Subsequent to generating the dielectrophoretic force, the controller determines the ratio of full capsid viral particles to empty and/or partially filled capsids based on quantities of full capsid viral particles.

Claims Coverage

The document contains two independent claims, a method claim and a system claim, with four inventive features centered on selective labeling, dielectrophoretic separation in a microfluidic device, and determining a ratio after force generation.

Across both independent claims, the coverage centers on selective labeling of empty and/or partially filled capsids, electrode-based dielectrophoretic separation in a microfluidic device, and determining a ratio of full capsid viral particles to empty and/or partially filled capsids after dielectrophoretic force generation.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications