Devices for separation of biological materials
Inventors
CHARLOT, David • HINESTROSA SALAZAR, Juan Pablo • DOBROVOLSKAYA, Irina V. • Yang, Kai • Swanson, Paul • Krishnan, Rajaram
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9387489-B2
Publication Date
2016-07-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention includes methods, devices and systems for isolating nanoparticulates, including nucleic acids, from biological samples. In various aspects, the methods, devices and systems may allow for a rapid procedure that requires a minimal amount of material and/or results in high purity isolation of biological components from complex fluids such as blood or environmental samples.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a device for isolating a nanoscale analyte in a sample using alternating current (AC) electrodes configured for selective energization. The AC electrodes establish AC electrokinetic high field and AC electrokinetic low field regions, including a dielectrophoretic high field region for capturing the nanoscale analyte. The AC electrodes are configured in three-dimensions within a housing to create these spatial field regions for isolation.
A central feature is that the AC electrodes comprise conductive material within the AC electrodes to reduce, disrupt or alter fluid flow around or within the vicinity of the AC electrodes compared to fluid flow in regions between or substantially beyond the vicinity. The conductive material is substantially absent from the center of the individual AC electrodes, while conductive material is present outside the center, so that local fluid flow is modified at the electrode vicinity.
The invention further encompasses specific three-dimensional electrode configurations and conductive/non-conductive geometry patterns that are described as reducing local fluid flow and improving dielectrophoretic capture. These configurations include shapes such as open disk conductive pattern, hollow ring or hollow tube electrodes, depressed concave / depressed basket electrodes, and three-dimensional conductive material arrangements including angled or triangular-tube structures and non-circular wavy dot-linker patterns. Floating electrodes are described as enabling higher electric field gradient than non-floating electrodes.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims: one directed to a device and one directed to a method. Across these independent claims, the core coverage centers on selectively energized three-dimensional AC electrokinetic electrodes that create high-field dielectrophoretic regions for isolating a nanoscale analyte, with conductive-material placement used to reduce or disrupt fluid flow locally.
Three-dimensional selectively energized AC electrokinetic electrodes with center-absent conductive material
A device with a housing and AC electrodes configured to be selectively energized to establish AC electrokinetic high field and AC electrokinetic low field regions, wherein the AC electrodes comprise conductive material within the AC electrodes for reducing, disrupting or altering fluid flow around or within the vicinity of the AC electrodes compared to fluid flow in regions between or substantially beyond the vicinity, the conductive material being substantially absent from the center of the individual AC electrodes, and wherein the AC electrodes are configured in three-dimensions.
Dielectrophoretic high-field isolation of nanoscale analyte using selective AC electrokinetic fields
A method applying a sample to a device with an array of electrodes configured to establish an AC electrokinetic field region, wherein the AC electrodes are configured to be selectively energized to establish AC electrokinetic high field and AC electrokinetic low field regions and comprise conductive material within the AC electrodes for reducing, disrupting or altering fluid flow around or within the vicinity of the AC electrodes compared to fluid flow in regions between or substantially beyond the vicinity, the conductive material being substantially absent from the center of the individual AC electrodes and the AC electrodes being configured in three-dimensions; producing at least one AC electrokinetic field region that is a dielectrophoretic high field region; and isolating the nanoscale analyte in the dielectrophoretic high field region.
Overall claim coverage is grounded in selectively energized three-dimensional AC electrode arrays that generate AC electrokinetic high/low field regions, with conductive material placement (substantially absent at the center of each electrode) used to reduce or disrupt local fluid flow to support isolation of a nanoscale analyte in a dielectrophoretic high field region.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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