System and method for processing and detecting nucleic acids
Inventors
Williams, Jeffrey • Brahmasandra, Sundaresh • Kusner, Michael T.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9604213-B2
Publication Date
2017-03-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system and method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a set of biological samples, comprising: a capture plate and a capture plate module configured to facilitate binding of nucleic acids within the set of biological samples to magnetic beads; a molecular diagnostic module configured to receive nucleic acids bound to magnetic beads, isolate nucleic acids, and analyze nucleic acids, comprising a cartridge receiving module, a heating/cooling subsystem and a magnet configured to facilitate isolation of nucleic acids, a valve actuation subsystem configured to control fluid flow through a microfluidic cartridge for processing nucleic acids, and an optical subsystem for analysis of nucleic acids; a fluid handling system configured to deliver samples and reagents to components of the system to facilitate molecular diagnostic protocols; and an assay strip configured to combine nucleic acid samples with molecular diagnostic reagents for analysis of nucleic acids.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a system for processing and detecting nucleic acids in cooperation with a cartridge. A capture plate facilitates combination of a set of magnetic beads with a biological sample to produce a magnetic bead-sample, and a molecular diagnostic module processes the magnetic bead-sample from the capture plate and separates nucleic acids from the set of magnetic beads.
The cartridge platform includes a heating region defined at a first surface and a magnet housing region defined at a second surface in thermal communication with the first surface. A heater transmits heat to the heating region at the first surface during operation, and a magnet is coupled to a magnet heating element that heats the magnet during operation, with the magnet proximal the second surface and configured to pass through a magnet receiving slot into the magnet housing region during operation.
By passing the magnet into the magnet housing region while the heater provides heat at the heating region, the system facilitates separation of a nucleic acid volume from the magnetic bead-sample and heating of the magnetic bead-sample in cooperation with the heater. The disclosed cartridge and system architecture coordinate nucleic-acid separation and thermal processing using the heater-side heating region and the magnet housing region.
Claims Coverage
The provided excerpts identify one independent claim and multiple additional claim features. The inventive coverage centers on the cartridge-integrated nucleic-acid processing and detection system, with eight inventive features extracted from the claim language.
Heating region and magnet housing in thermal communication with heater-side heating
A cartridge with a heating region defined at a first surface and a magnet housing region defined at a second surface in thermal communication with the first surface, with a heater configured to transmit heat to the heating region during operation.
Magnet passing through magnet receiving slot into magnet housing region
A magnet coupled to a magnet heating element that heats the magnet during operation, the magnet proximal the second surface and configured to pass through a magnet receiving slot into the magnet housing region during operation to facilitate separation of a nucleic acid volume from the magnetic bead-sample.
Capture plate mixing of magnetic beads with biological sample to form magnetic bead-sample
A capture plate configured to facilitate combination of a set of magnetic beads with a biological sample, thus producing a magnetic bead-sample for processing by the molecular diagnostic module.
Molecular diagnostic module separating nucleic acids with cooperative heating of bead-sample
A molecular diagnostic module configured to process the magnetic bead-sample from the capture plate and separate nucleic acids from the set of magnetic beads, wherein heating of the magnetic bead-sample is performed in cooperation with the heater.
Valve actuation occluding microfluidic fluidic pathway with active and inactive regions and pins
A cartridge-bottom valve actuation subsystem including an actuation substrate with active regions and inactive regions, a set of pins movable between retracted and extended configurations, and a valve actuator shifting tangentially to occlude a fluidic pathway.
Optical subsystem with excitation and emission filtering and dichroic mirror photodetector routing
An optical subsystem with first and second optical units, each including excitation filters, emission filters, photodetectors, and dichroic mirrors arranged to direct excitation light to nucleic acid-reagent mixtures and route emitted light through emission filters to the photodetectors.
Actuator positioning of cartridge platform, magnet through magnet receiving slot, and heater at heating region
An actuator configured to displace a cartridge platform to move the magnet through the magnet receiving slot into the magnet housing region and to position a heater at the heating region, with the actuator coupled to the heater.
Liquid handling transferring magnetic bead-sample and aspirating nucleic acid volume
A liquid handling system configured to transfer the magnetic bead-sample from a capture plate to a molecular diagnostic module and to aspirate the nucleic acid volume from the molecular diagnostic module.
The claims coverage centers on a cartridge-integrated nucleic-acid processing and detection system that uses a heater-side heating region and a magnet housing region in thermal communication, with a magnet passing through a receiving slot into the magnet housing region to facilitate nucleic-acid separation while heating the magnetic bead-sample. Dependent features additionally refine valve occlusion, optical excitation and emission routing, mechanical actuation for positioning heater and magnet, and liquid handling for transferring bead-sample and aspirating nucleic-acid volume.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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