David Sarnoff Research Center, Inc.

Sarnoff Corporation

Orchid Biosciences, Inc.

Sterling Edward McBride

Peter John Zanzucchi

Satyam Choudary Cherukuri

Robert Richard Demers

Aaron W Levine

Amrit K Judd

William Chiang

Charlotte A Burton

James Regis Matey

Richard Morgan Moroney, Iii

Keith James Hanna

Barry Jay Thaler

Robert L Quinn

Stephen Charles Hsu

Steven A Lipp

Richard Patrick Wildes

Zhonghui Hugh Fan

Paul Leonard Braun

Aaron Wiliam Levine

Raymond Joseph Kolczynski

Jane Circle Asmuth

Zhong H Fan

Zhong Hui Hugh Fan

Zhong Hui Fan

A method for accomplishing a plurality of combinatorial processes in parallel using a microelectronic and fluidic array (device array) having micron-sized reservoirs, connecting microchannels and reaction cells etched into a substrate. The device array has a top feedthru plate, a center distribution plate and a bottom cell plate. The top feedthru plate serves as a cover for the device array and contains apertures selectively positioned above the reservoirs located in the center distribution plate. The center distribution plate includes a plurality of micron sized reservoirs, microchannels, reservoir feeds, cell feeds and overflow feeds for the distribution of reagent fluids to the reaction cells located in the bottom cell plate. The detachable bottom cell plate serves as a microlaboratory tray of reaction cells. Once the proper reagents or other materials are introduced into the reaction cells, the bottom cell plate is decoupled from the device array and removed for incubation or analysis.

Device for selective distribution of liquids

The invention provides methods of performing a synthetic process in a liquid distribution system having reaction cells, by pumping at least one reagent into a reaction cell.

Electrokinetic pumping

A system and method for accomplishing a plurality of combinatorial processes in parallel comprising a microelectronic and fluidic array (device array) having micron-sized reservoirs, connecting microchannels and reaction cells etched into a substrate. The device array is supported by a station which serves to interface and perform electro-optic measurements of material in the reaction cells of the device array. The device array incorporates a modular configuration with three distinct layers or plates. The device array comprises a top feedthru plate, a center distribution plate and a bottom cell plate. The three plates are stacked vertically and coupled together to form a liquid-tight seal. Reservoirs, microchannels and reactions cells are controllably etched onto the plates using traditional semiconductor fabrication techniques. The top feedthru plate serves as a cover for the device array and contains apertures selectively positioned above the reservoirs located in the center distribution plate. The center distribution plate comprises a plurality of micron sized reservoirs, microchannels, reservoir feeds, cell feeds and overflow feeds for the distribution of reagent fluids to the reaction cells located in the bottom cell plate. The detachable bottom cell plate serves as a microlaboratory tray of reaction cells. Once the proper reagents or other materials are introduced into the reaction cells, the bottom cell plate is decoupled from the device array and removed for incubation or analysis.

Method and system for inhibiting cross-contamination in fluids of

A method of making a dielectric substrate array for conducting a plurality of reactions in parallel in a number of wells, the method comprising: forming a first passage and a second passage each extending through a dielectric substrate, the substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface; forming a plurality of channels on said first or second surface, including a first channel, a second channel, a third channel and a fourth channel on the substrate, wherein the first channel is on the first surface and intersects with the first passage, wherein the second channel is on the second surface and intersects with both of the first passage and the second passage, wherein the third channel is on the first surface and intersects with the second passage, wherein the fourth channel is on the first surface and is located between the outlets of the first and second passage at the first surface, and wherein (a) the connected first channel, first passage, second channel, second passage and third channel define a cross-over channel having dimensions suitable for promoting capillary action and (b) the fourth channel defines another channel having dimensions suitable for promoting capillary action; forming a plurality of reservoirs in a surface of the substrate, each connected to a channel, with one of the reservoirs connected to the first channel; and bonding a first plate to the top surface of the substrate and a second plate to the bottom surface of the substrate, thereby enclosing the channels, wherein the cross-over channel crosses over from the first surface to the second surface via the first passage and back to the first surface via the second passage and thereby avoids intersecting with the fourth channel located on the first surface.

Partitioned microelectronic device array

The invention provides electrode-based pumps and methods of operating such pumps. In one embodiment, the invention provides an electrode-based pump situated in a fluid channel comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first and second electrodes have a diameter from about 25 microns to about 100 microns and are spaced from about 100 microns to about 2,500 microns apart. In another embodiment, the invention provides an electrode-based pump comprising a first electrode, second electrode and third electrode.

The present invention provides a method of performing an immunological assay separately and in parallel for each of at least a first sample containing or prospectively containing a first binding moiety, which can be an antigen or an antibody, and a second sample containing or prospectively containing the first binding moiety, the method comprising: placing the first sample and the second sample into an array comprising a solid substrate, a plurality of wells and channels, wherein at least one channel is a crossover channel formed in the upper surface of the substrate and is situated above another channel formed in the lower surface of the substrate, thereby forming crossovers comprising crossing but non-intersecting channels; moving said first sample into a first well containing a second binding moiety, which can be an antigen or an antibody, that binds to the first binding moiety, wherein the second binding moiety is bound to the walls of the first well; moving said second sample into a second well containing the second binding moiety bound to the walls thereof; and parallelly pumping one or more fluids through the first and second wells to develop a detectable result that varies depending on the amount of the first binding moiety present in the first or second wells.

Immunological assay conducted in a microlaboratory array

The present invention provides a liquid distribution system, which is useful in a number of contexts, including in accomplishing various synthetic, diagnostic and drug screening reactions. The distribution system can comprise an alpha reservoir and a beta reservoir, a first set of parallel and adjacent first and second feeder channels and a second set of parallel and adjacent third and fourth feeder channels which are offset from the first and second feeder channels, wherein (a) the first and third feeder channels are connected to the alpha reservoir via a first connector channel that is situated above or below the second and fourth feeder channels and are independent of the beta reservoir and (b) the second and fourth feeder channels are connected to the beta reservoir via a second connector channel that is situated above or below the first and third feeder channels and are independent of the alpha reservoir. The distribution system is preferably a microscale distribution system. Various particular mechanisms for controlling flow into a liquid distribution system are described.

Liquid distribution system

A system for processing a plurality of tests or syntheses in parallel comprising a sample channel for moving samples into a microlaboratory array of a plurality of wells connected by one or more channels for the testing or synthesis of samples, a station for housing the array and an optical system comprising at least one light source and at least one light detector for measuring the samples in the array, and a means of electrically connecting said array to an apparatus capable of monitoring and controlling the flow of fluids into the array. Samples are loaded from a common loading channel into the array, processed in the wells and measurements taken by the optical system. The array can process many samples, or synthesize many compounds in parallel, reducing the time required for such processes.

A system for processing a plurality of tests or syntheses in parallel comprising a sample channel for moving samples into a microlaboratory array of a plurality of wells connected by one or more channels for the testing-or synthesis of samples, a station for housing the array and an optical system comprising at least one light source and at least one light detector for measuring the samples in the array, and a means of electrically connecting said array to an apparatus capable of monitoring and controlling the flow of fluids into the array. Samples are loaded from a common loading channel into the array, processed in the wells and measurements taken by the optical system. The array can process many samples, or synthesize many compounds in parallel, reducing the time required for such processes. Etching from both sides of a substrate using patterned photoresist and metal layers to form a network of capillary channels for separately transporting a plurality of different liquids. The channels can cross over each other without intersecting.

Etching to form cross-over, non-intersecting channel networks for use in

Methods are provided for synthesizing a plurality of compounds in parallel. The methods use cross-over channels for moving samples from a reservoir of starting materials into a plurality of wells. The movement is achieved, for example, using an electrokinetic pump.

Method of synthesis of plurality of compounds in parallel using a

By combining electro-osmotic and electrohydrodynamic pumps in a microchannel, both polar and non-polar fluids can be moved along said channel. The pumps can be made from pairs of wire electrodes inserted into openings in the channel and connected to a source of a pulsed DC power. By reversing the voltages on alternate pairs of pumps, fluid flow can be reversed, thereby acting as a gate or valve. By using digital drivers, for example shift registers that can apply a signal to a switching device connected to an electrode by means of enabling and latch signals to an AND gate, control of flow in individual channels in an array of channels can be had with a high degree of integration, and provide for ready manufacturability.

Apparatus and methods for controlling fluid flow in microchannels

Iris recognition is achieved by (1) iris acquisition that permits a user to self-position his or her eye into an imager's field of view without the need for any physical contact, (2) spatially locating the data defining that portion of a digitized video image of the user's eye that defines solely the iris thereof without any initial spatial condition of the iris being provided, and (3) pattern matching the spatially located data defining the iris of the user's eye with stored data defining a model iris by employing normalized spatial correlation for first comparing, at each of a plurality of spatial scales, each of distinctive spatial characteristics of the respective irises that are spatially registered with one another to quantitatively determine, at each of the plurality of spatial scales, a goodness value of match at that spatial scale, and then judging whether or not the pattern which manifests solely the iris of the user's eye matches the digital data which manifests solely the model iris in accordance with a certain combination of the quantitatively-determined goodness values of match at each of said plurality of spatial scales.

Growing community of inventors

Lawrence Township, NJ, United States of America

Sterling Edward McBride