Zeptosens Ag

The Governors of the University of Alberta

Other

Bayer Intellectual Property Gmbh

D Jed Harrison

Carlo S Effenhauser

Andreas Manz

Cameron Skinner

Richard Oleschuk

Paul Li

Gregor Ocvirk

Loranelle Shultz-Lockyear

Hossein Salimi-Moosavi

Yutao Jiang

Jianjun Li

Graham H McKinnon

Per E Andersson

Loranelle L Lockyear

Can Wang

Nghia H Chiem

Nicolas Bings

Thompson Tang

Pierre Thibault

Edgar Arriaga

The present invention provides an on-chip packed reactor bed design that allows for an effective exchange of packing materials such as beads at a miniaturized level. The present invention extends the function of microfluidic analysis systems to new applications including on-chip solid phase extraction (SPE) and on-chip capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design can be further extended to include integrated packed bed immuno- or enzyme reactors.

Apparatus and method for trapping bead based reagents within microfluidic analysis systems

An on-chip packed reactor bed design is disclosed that allows for an effective exchange of packing materials such as beads at a miniaturized level. Also disclosed is a method of treating a sample within a microfluidic analysis system, comprising; providing a main channel having a trapping zone; providing a slurry of a reagent treated packing material; inducing a flow of said packing material into said trapping zone through a flow channel connected to said trapping zone to load said trapping zone and form a packed bed of said packing material; and flowing a sample containing analytes through said packed bed, said reagent treating the sample. The present invention extends the function of microfluidic analysis systems to new applications including on-chip solid phase extraction (SPE) and on-chip capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design can be further extended to include integrated packed bed immuno- or enzyme reactors.

A microfluidic device for controlling sample introduction in microcolumn separation techniques, more particularly in capillary electrophoresis (CE), where a sample is injected as a sample plug into a sampling device which comprises at least a channel for the electrolyte buffer and a supply and drain channel for the sample. The supply and drain channels discharge into the electrolyte channel at respective supply and drain ports. The distance between the supply port and the drain port geometrically defines a sample volume. The injection of the sample plug into the electrolyte channel is accomplished electrokinetically by applying an electric field across the supply and drain channels for a time at least long enough that the sample component having the lowest electrophoretic mobility is contained within the geometrically defined volume. Means are provided for electrokinetically injecting the sample into the sample volume.

Microfluidic device for controlling sample introduction in microcolumn separation techniques and sampling device

The present invention provides an on-chip packed reactor bed design that allows for an effective exchange of packing materials such as beads at a miniaturized level. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of concentrating an analyte within a microfluidic analysis system, comprising the steps of: a) providing a main channel having a trapping zone suitable for trapping packing material; b) providing a slurry of a reagent treated packing material prepared in a solution having a predetermined composition of a solvent; c) inducing a flow of said packing material into said trapping zone through a flow channel connected to said trapping zone so as to load said trapping zone and form a packed bed of said packing material; d) and flowing a sample containing analytes through said packed bed, said reagent acting to concentrate at least some of said analytes within said trapping zone. The present invention extends the function of microfluidic analysis systems to new applications including on-chip solid phase extraction (SPE) and on-chip capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design can be further extended to include integrated packed bed immuno- or enzyme reactors.

In a method for controlling sample introduction in microcolumn separation techniques, more particularly in capillary electrophoresis (CE), where a sample is injected as a sample plug into a sampling device which comprises at least a channel for the electrolyte buffer and a supply and drain channel for the sample. The supply and drain channels discharge into the electrolyte channel at respective supply and drain ports. The distance between the supply port and the drain port geometrically defines a sample volume. The injection of the sample plug into the electrolyte channel is accomplished electrokinetically by applying an electric field across the supply and drain channels for a time at least long enough that the sample component having the lowest electrophoretic mobility is contained within the geometrically defined volume. The supply and drain channels each are inclined to the electrolyte channel. Means are provided for electrokinetically injecting the sample into the sample volume. The resistance to flow of the source and drain channels with respect to the electrolyte buffer is at least about 5% lower than the respective resistance to flow of the electrolyte channel.

Method for controlling sample introduction in microcolumn separation techniques and sampling device

In a method for controlling sample introduction in microcolumn separation techniques, more particularly in capillary electrophoresis (CRE), where a sample is injected as a sample plug into a sampling device which comprises at least a channel for the electrolyte buffer and a supply and drain channel for the sample. The supply and drain channels discharge into the electrolyte channel at respective supply and drain ports. The distance between the supply port and the drain port geometrically defines a sample volume. The injection of the sample plug into the electrolyte channel is accomplished electrokinetically by applying an electric field across the supply and drain channels for a time at least long enough that the sample component having the lowest electrophoretic mobility is contained within the geometrically defined volume. The supply and drain channels each are inclined to the electrolyte channel. Means are provided for electrokinetically injecting the sample into the sample volume. The resistance to flow of the source and drain channels with respect to the electrolyte buffer is at least about 5% lower than the respective resistance to flow of the electrolyte channel.

In a method for controlling sample introduction in microcolumn separation techniques, more particularly in capillary electrophoresis (CE), where a sample is injected as a sample plug into a sampling device which comprises at least a channel for the electrolyte buffer and a supply and drain channel for the sample. The supply and drain channels discharge into the electrolyte channel at respective supply and drain ports. The distance between the supply port and the drain port geometrically defines a sample volume. The injection of the sample plug into the electrolyte channel is accomplished electrokinetically by applying an electric field across the supply and drain channels for a time at least long enough that the sample component having the lowest electrophoretic mobility is contained within the geometrically defined volume. The supply and drain channels each are inclined to the electrolyte channel. Means are provided for electrokinetically injecting the sample into the sample volume. The resistance to flow of the supply and drain channels with respect to the electrolyte buffer is at least about 5% lower than the respective resistance to flow of the electrolyte channel.

In a method for controlling sample introduction in microcolumn separation techniques, more particularly in capillary electrophoresis (CE), where a sample is injected as a sample plug into a sampling device which comprises at least a channel for the electrolyte buffer and a supply and drain channel for the sample. The supply and drain channels discharge into the electolyte channel at respective supply and drain ports. The distance between the supply port and the drain port geometrically defines a sample volume. The injection of the sample plug into the electrolyte channel is accomplished electrokinetically by applying an electric field across the supply and drain channels for a time at least long enough that the sample component having the lowest electrophoretic mobility is contained within the geometrically defined volume. The supply and drain channels each are inclined to the electrolyte channel. Means are provided for electrokinetically injecting the sample into the sample volume. The resistance to flow of the source and drain channels with respect to the electrolyte buffer is at least about 5% lower than the respective resistance to flow of the electrolyte channel.

A method is provided for joining a microchip device to a capillary tube. The microchip device has a capillary channel opening onto an edge surface of the device. A short hole is drilled into the edge surface, aligned with the capillary channel. The drilling is done with a flat bottom, preferably by a two-step drilling process. Then, the end of the capillary can be inserted into the hole so that its end is substantially flush with the flat bottom of the hole, thereby eliminating dead volume. Testing has shown that this connection provides very little band broadening of samples transported through the capillary channel into the capillary tube. The tip of the capillary tube can be tapered, so that it is suitable for use as an electrospray source for a mass spectrometer.

Microfluidic devices connected to glass capillaries with minimal dead volume

A method for the detection of cell contents, the method comprising the steps of, introducing a cell into a channel in a microchip; lysing the cell to release cell contents into the channel; moving the cell contents towards a detection zone; and detecting the cell contents at the detection zone. An apparatus for the detection of cell contents, the apparatus comprising: a microchip; a cell mobilization channel formed in the microchip, the cell mobilization channel having a cell introduction end and a detection end; a cell mobilizer operably connected with the cell introduction end for moving cells from the cell introduction end to the detection end; means for lysing cells in the cell mobilization channel at a lysing zone, the lysing zone being located between the cell introduction end and the detection end; and a detector, disposed adjacent the detector end, arranged to detect cell contents appearing at the detector end that have been moved from the lysing zone to the detector end by the cell mobilizer.

Growing community of inventors

Edmonton, Canada

D Jed Harrison