Integrated microfluidic system, method and kit for performing assays
The present invention provides a microfluidic system, method and kit for performing assays. The system may comprise a microfluidic device and a detector, wherein the assay yields results that may be read by a detector and analyzed by the system. The assay may comprise one or more chemical or biological reaction against, or performed on, a sample or multiple samples. The sample(s) may become larger and/or smaller during the performance of the assay. The sample(s) may be present within a vehicle, or on a carrier within a vehicle, in the microfluidic device, and wherein the vehicle may become larger and/or smaller during the performance of the assay. The assay may be a cascading assay comprising a series of multiple assays, wherein each assay may be the same or different, and wherein each assay in the series of multiple assays may further comprise one or more process or step.
1. A system, comprising
a first microfluidic channel configured to contain a first plurality of reagent droplets;
a sample injector configured to inject at a position on the first microfluidic channel at least a portion of a sample into some or all of the first plurality of reagent droplets to form a first plurality of assay droplets;
a second injector configured to inject different portions of an assay droplet from the first plurality of assay droplets into multiple droplets from a second plurality of reagent droplets at a position in a second microfluidic channel; and
said second microfluidic channel.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sample injector and the second injector each separately comprise one or more pairs of electrodes configured to disrupt an interface between a droplet and a fluid or emulsion.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a detector configured to detect the product of a chemical reaction in the second plurality of assay droplets.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the detector is an optical detector.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the optical detector is configured to detect a signal selected from the group consisting of light scatter, chemiluminescence, and fluorescence.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a third injector configured to inject a reagent from a reservoir into the first plurality of reagent droplets or the first plurality of assay droplets.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein reagent in the reservoir is a polymerase.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system comprises the second plurality of reagent droplets and the second plurality of reagent droplets comprises a library of nucleic acid probes.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the nucleic acid probes are random hexamers.
10. The system of claim 1 , the system further comprising a vessel configured to contain the second plurality of assay droplets, wherein the vessel is in fluid communication with the second microfluidic channel.
11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an incubation temperature zone downstream of the position in the second microfluidic channel.
12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an oil injector downstream of the position in the second microfluidic channel.
13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising detector downstream of the position in the second microfluidic channel.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the detector is an optical detector.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the optical detector is configured to detect a signal selected from the group consisting of light scatter, chemiluminescence, and fluorescence.
16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a thermocycler processing system that allows for thermocycling the first plurality of assay droplets.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the thermocycler processing system comprises a serpentine microfluidic channel passing through alternating temperature zones.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the thermocycler processing system comprises a reaction chamber configured for thermocycling.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises the first plurality of reagent droplets and the first plurality of reagent droplets comprises a primer library.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises the first plurality of reagent droplets and the first plurality of reagent droplets comprises labels.