IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,822,403
Granted Patent B2
US 9,822,403 · App. 14/281,699 · Granted Nov 21, 2017

Chip-based droplet sorting

Inventors: Neil Reginald Beer (Pleasanton, CA); Abraham Lee (Irvine, CA); Andrew Hatch (Irvine, CA)
Assignees: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC; The Regents of the University of California
C12Q1/686B01L3/502761B01L2200/0652B01L2300/0627B01L2300/0816B01L2300/0864B01L2400/043B01L2400/0415B01L2400/0496G01N2015/1081
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,822,403
App. No.
14/281,699
Granted
Nov 21, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A non-contact system for sorting monodisperse water-in-oil emulsion droplets in a microfluidic device based on the droplet's contents and their interaction with an applied electromagnetic field or by identification and sorting.

Claims (16)

1. A method for sorting droplets on a chip, comprising the steps of:

providing a chip;

providing a microfluidic flow channel in said chip wherein said microfluidic flow channel has a top side and a bottom side opposite said top side;

providing a top set of electrodes on said top side of said microfluidic flow channel;

providing a bottom set of electrodes on said bottom side of said microfluidic flow channel;

providing a carrier fluid in said microfluidic flow channel;

providing a droplet maker connected to said microfluidic flow channel that provides a flow stream of said carrier fluid and said droplets in said microfluidic flow channel wherein said droplets have substantially the same diameter and wherein said droplets include

first droplets containing a genetic material and

second droplets that do not contain said genetic material;

amplifying said genetic material in said first droplets containing a genetic material producing first amplified droplets containing amplified genetic material and

second droplets that do not contain said genetic material;

providing an analyzer;

providing a waste channel; and

providing a droplet sorter including a controller operatively connected to said top set of electrodes and operatively connected to said bottom set of electrodes that activates said top set of electrodes and sorts said droplets according to said first amplified droplets containing said amplified genetic material and directs said first amplified droplets containing said amplified genetic material to said analyzer and

that activates said bottom set of electrodes and sorts said droplets according to said second droplets that do not contain said genetic material and directs said second droplets that do not contain said genetic material to said waste channel.

2. The method for sorting droplets on a chip of claim 1 wherein said step of amplifying said genetic material in said first droplets containing a genetic material producing first amplified droplets containing amplified genetic material and second droplets that do not contain said genetic material comprises polymerase chain reaction amplifying said genetic material in said first droplets containing a genetic material producing first amplified droplets containing amplified genetic material and second droplets that do not contain said genetic material.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Sep 24, 2014
From: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
To: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 033803/0942 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2014
From: HATCH, ANDREW; LEE, ABRAHAM P.
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Reel/Frame 032939/0360 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2014
From: BEER, NEIL REGINALD
To: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
Reel/Frame 032939/0611 →
Continuity (2)
Division 13014792 · Jan 27, 2011
Related Publication 20140255946A1 · Sep 11, 2014