Systems and methods for monitoring the amplification and dissociation behavior of DNA molecules

1. A DNA analysis system, comprising:

a chip comprising a microchannel for receiving a sample of solution comprising nucleic acid and for providing a path for the sample to traverse;

an image sensor having a pixel array, wherein at least a portion of the microchannel is within a field of view of the pixel array; and

an image sensor controller configured to define a first window of the pixel array and to define a second window of the pixel array for (a) reading the first window of the pixel array at a time when the sample is within a field of view of the first window, thereby producing first image data, and for (b) reading the second window of the pixel array at a time when the sample is within a field of view of the second window, wherein

the center of the second window is spaced apart from the center of the first window.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor controller is configured to use the first data to determine the size of the second window and the size of the second window is less than the size of the first window.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor controller is configured to process the first image data to determine whether the amount of light received at a pixel located at an edge of the first window exceeds or equals a predetermined threshold.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first sample sensor positioned to detect the sample when the sample enters or is about to enter the field of view of the image sensor and configured to output a signal in response to detecting the sample.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a second sample sensor positioned to detect the sample when the sample leaves or is about to leave the field of view of the image sensor and configured to output a signal in response to detecting the sample.

6. A DNA analysis method comprising:

introducing a sample of a solution comprising nucleic acid into a microchannel;

causing the sample to move though the microchannel;

defining a first window of a pixel array of an image sensor;

defining a second window of the pixel array, wherein the center of the second window is spaced apart from the center of the first window;

while the sample is moving through the microchannel, performing the steps of:

(a) while the sample is within a field of view of the first window, windowing the image sensor so that image data from the first window is output to a data buffer, wherein said image data comprises data from which the intensity of emissions from the sample can be determined; and

(b) after performing step (a), while the sample is within a field of view of the second window, windowing the image sensor so that image data from the second window is output to a data buffer, wherein said image data comprises data from which the intensity of emissions from the sample can be determined.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the size of the second window is less than the size of the first window.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of defining the second window occurs after step (a).

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of defining the second window comprises processing the image data from the first window to determine whether the amount of light received at a pixel located at an edge of the first window exceeds or equals a predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving from a first sensor a signal indicating that the sample has been detected by the sensor; and

receiving from a second sensor a second signal indicating that the sample has been detected by the second sensor, wherein

the first sensor is positioned to detect when the sample enters the field of view of the image sensor; and

the second sensor is positioned to detect when the sample leaves the field of view of the image sensor.

11. A DNA analysis method comprising:

introducing a first sample of a solution comprising nucleic acid into a first microchannel;

introducing a second sample of a solution comprising nucleic acid into a second microchannel;

causing the first sample to move though the first microchannel;

causing the second sample to move though the second microchannel;

defining a first window of a pixel array of an image sensor, wherein at least a portion of the first microchannel is within the field of view of the first window;

defining a second window of the pixel array, wherein at least a portion of the second microchannel is within the field of view of the second window and wherein the center of the second window is spaced apart from the center of the first window;

while the samples are moving through the respective microchannels, performing the steps of:

(a) while at least one of the samples is within a field of view of the first window, windowing the image sensor so that image data from the first window is output to a data buffer, wherein said image data comprises data from which the intensity of emissions from the first sample can be determined; and

(b) after performing step (a), while at least one of the samples is within a field of view of the second window, windowing the image sensor so that image data from the second window is output to a data buffer, wherein said image data comprises data from which the intensity of emissions from the second sample can be determined.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first window and the second window do not overlap.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of defining the first window of the pixel array comprises determining the size of the window, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on the length of the sample.

14. A DNA analysis device, comprising:

an image sensor having a pixel array, wherein at least a portion of a microchannel providing a path for a sample of solution comprising nucleic acid to traverse is within a field of view of the pixel array; and

an image sensor controller configured to define a first window of the pixel array and to define a second window of the pixel array for (a) reading the first window of the pixel array at a time when the sample is within a field of view of the first window, thereby producing first image data, and for (b) reading the second window of the pixel array at a time when the sample is within a field of view of the second window, wherein

the center of the second window is spaced apart from the center of the first window.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the image sensor controller is configured to use the first data to determine the size of the second window and the size of the second window is less than the size of the first window.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the image sensor controller is configured to process the first image data to determine whether the amount of light received at a pixel located at an edge of the first window exceeds or equals a predetermined threshold.

17. The device of claim 14 , further comprising a first sample sensor positioned to detect the sample when the sample enters or is about to enter the field of view of the image sensor and configured to output a signal in response to detecting the sample.

18. The device of claim 17 , further comprising a second sample sensor positioned to detect the sample when the sample leaves or is about to leave the field of view of the image sensor and configured to output a signal in response to detecting the sample.