Canon U.S. Life Sciences, Inc.

Canon U.s.a., Inc.

Emergent Product Development Gaithersburg Inc.

Johnathan Stuart Coursey

Kenton C Hasson

Gregory H Owen

Hongye Liang

Scott Corey

Brian Bean

Eric D Schneider

Ben Lane

Sami Kanderian

Ying-Xin Wang

Gregory A Dale

Bradley Scott Thomas

Hiroshi Inoue

Shulin Zeng

Brian P Murphy

Alex K Flamm

Ivor T Knight

Weidong Cao

Conrad Laskowski

Takayoshi Hanagata

Franklin Regan

Jason Schmidt

Kunihiro Sakai

George Maltezos

Arvind Virmani

Scott O Sundberg

Hanyoup Kim

Makoto Ogusu

Renee Howell

Melissa Gosse

Harini Shandilya

Yoichi Murakami

Fernando Weber DeCastro

Jason Zsak

Yasuyuki Numajiri

Denis Alias

Christopher Sneeder

Brian Scrivens

Abhijit Dohale

Girum Yemane-Tekeste

Kathy K Smith

Fernando DeCastro

Autoinjector

The present invention relates to methods and systems that result in high quality, reproducible, thermal melt analysis on a microfluidic platform. The present invention relates to methods and systems using thermal systems including heat spreading devices, including interconnection methods and materials developed to connect heat spreaders to microfluidic devices. The present invention also relates to methods and systems for controlling, measuring, and calibrating the thermal systems of the present invention.

Systems and methods using external heater systems in microfluidic devices

The present invention relates to sample-to-answer systems, devices, cartridges, and method of using the same for detecting the presence of microorganisms in a sample, such as bacteria.

Sample-to-answer system for microorganism detection featuring target enrichment, amplification and detection

Methods, devices, and systems for performing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and melt data acquisition according to a single slug approach in which a single slug in a microfluidic channel fills an entire thermal zone of the microfluidic channel, and the thermal zone used for both PCR temperature cycling and melt data acquisition. A detector may be configured to detect fluorescence from the thermal zone during the PCR temperature cycling for real-time PCR and/or during temperature ramping in the melt data acquisition. Slug position control may be achieved by detecting leading or trailing edges in a slug build target zone into which a slug passes after passing through the thermal zone. The single slug approach may break coupling between one or more events of the PCR amplification and melt data acquisition and enable events to be independently optimized.

Methods, devices, and systems for processing multiple assays

The present invention relates to the use of one or more amplicons as temperature calibrators. In some embodiments, the calibrators may be used to calibrate the temperature of a microfluidic channel in which amplification and/or melt analysis is performed. In some embodiments, the amplicons may be genomic, ultra conserved elements and/or synthetic. The amplicon(s) may have a known or expected melt temperature(s). The calibrators may be added to primers of study or may follow or lead the primers of study in the channel. The amplicon(s) may be amplified and melted, and the temperature(s) at which the amplicon(s) melted may be determined. The measured temperature(s) may be compared to the known temperature(s) at which the amplicon(s) was expected to melt. The difference(s) between the measured and expected temperatures may be used to calibrate/adjust one or more temperature control elements used to control and/or detect the temperature of the channel.

Thermal calibration

The present invention relates to systems and methods for the real time processing of nucleic acid during polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and thermal melt applications. According to an aspect of the invention, a system for the rapid serial processing of multiple nucleic acid assays is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes, but is not limited to: a microfluidic cartridge having microfluidic (flow-through) channels, a fluorescence imaging system, a temperature measurement and control system; a pressure measurement and control system for applying variable pneumatic pressures to the microfluidic cartridge; a storage device for holding multiple reagents (e.g., a well-plate); a liquid handling system comprising at least one robotic pipettor for aspirating, mixing, and dispensing reagent mixtures to the microfluidic cartridge; systems for data storage, processing, and output; and a system controller to coordinate the various devices and functions.

System and method for serial processing of multiple nucleic acid assays

The invention relates to systems and methods for calibrating and using resistance temperature detectors. In one embodiment, the system includes a calibration circuit comprising a resistance temperature detector in a bridge circuit with at least one potentiometer, and a programmable gain amplifier coupled to the bridge circuit. Embodiments of the invention further comprise methods for calibrating the bridge circuit and the programmable gain amplifier for use with the resistance temperature detector and methods for determining the self heating voltage of the bridge circuit.

Systems and methods for auto-calibration of resistive temperature sensors

Systems and methods for air cooling a microfluidic device using confinement channels to isolate cooling air from exposed liquids are disclosed. The systems and methods may also thermally condition the cooling airflow for improved robustness of the microfluidic device. In one embodiment, the air cooling system includes a split-level cooling manifold including an inlet duct that directs cooling air to a microfluidic device and an outlet duct that directs air heated by the microfluidic device away from the microfluidic device. The temperature of cooling air may be measured. The cooling air may be preheated to a temperature that is higher than an expected ambient temperature. The temperature of the cooling air after being heated by a microfluidic device may be measured.

Air cooling systems and methods for microfluidic devices

Systems for processing multiple assays background

The invention relates to methods and devices for control of an integrated thin-film device with a plurality of microfluidic channels. In one embodiment, a microfluidic device is provided that includes a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels and a plurality of multiplexed heater electrodes, wherein the heater electrodes are part of a multiplex circuit including a common lead connecting the heater electrodes to a power supply, each of the heater electrodes being associated with one of the microfluidic channels. The microfluidic device also includes a control system configured to regulate power applied to each heater electrode by varying a duty cycle, the control system being further configured to determine the temperature of each heater electrode by determining the resistance of each heater electrode.

Microfluidic devices with integrated resistive heater electrodes including systems and methods for controlling and measuring the temperatures of such heater electrodes

The present invention, in one aspect, provides methods and systems for controlling slugs using temperature dependent fluorescent dyes. In some embodiments, the present invention uses one or more techniques to enhance the visibility of slugs, enhance a system's ability to differentiate between slugs, and enhance a system's ability to identify the positions of slugs.

Slug control during thermal cycling

The present invention, in one aspect, provides systems and methods for using a single slug or multiple slugs containing one or more calibrators to determine a relationship between temperature and an electrical characteristic of the thermal sensor for use in connection with calibrating thermal sensors. In some embodiments, the present invention uses the described calibrator systems and methods to calibrate thermal control elements on a microfluidic device. In non-limiting embodiment, the calibrator can be one or more of droplets, plugs, slugs, segments or a continuous flow of any appropriate solution that, when heated, yields a thermal response profile with a plurality of features (e.g., maxima, minima, inflection points, linear regions, etc.).

Compound calibrator for thermal sensors

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for in-system priming of microfluidic devices. Aspects of the present invention relate to compositions and methods for in-system priming of microfluidic devices utilizing a priming solution comprising adding and/or increasing concentrations of surfactant in a buffer solution.

Composition and method for in-system priming microfluidic devices

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Germantown, MD, United States of America

Johnathan Stuart Coursey