Abstract:
The present invention relates to surface assisted fluid loading and droplet dispensing on a droplet micro actuator. A droplet actuator is provided and includes one or more electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate. The droplet actuator further includes a wettable surface defining a path from a fluid reservoir into a locus which is sufficiently near to one or more of the electrodes that activation of the one or more electrodes results in a droplet operation. Methods and systems are also provided.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to methods of improving accuracy of droplet metering using at least one on-actuator reservoir as the fluid input. In some embodiments, the on-actuator reservoir that is used for metering droplets includes a loading port, a liquid storage zone, a droplet metering zone, and a droplet dispensing zone. The on-actuator reservoirs are designed to prevent liquid flow-back into the loading port and to prevent liquid from flooding into the droplet operations gap in the dispensing zone.
Abstract:
A liquid handling system for supplying liquids to a flow cell (FC). The system may include a droplet actuator cartridge, wherein the droplet actuator and a flow cell are fluidly coupled to, or situated within, a droplet operations gap of the droplet actuator.
Abstract:
During droplet operations in a droplet actuator, bubbles often form in the filler fluid in the droplet operations gap and interrupt droplet operations. The present invention provides methods and systems for performing droplet operations on a droplet in a droplet actuator comprising maintaining substantially consistent contact between the droplet and an electrical ground while conducting multiple droplet operations on the droplet in the droplet operations gap and/or reducing the accumulation of electrical charges in the droplet operations gap during multiple droplet operations. The methods and systems reduce or eliminate bubble formation in the filler fluid of the droplet operations gap, thereby permitting completion of multiple droplet operations without interruption by bubble formation in the filler fluid in the droplet operations gap.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to amplification oligonucleotides (primers) and detection probes for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) in a test sample. The primers and probes may be used in an assay for the detection and/or quantitation of HIV-1 nucleic acid. In various embodiments, the primers and detection probes may be used for real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays for detection of HIV-1 nucleic acid. The detection probes may, for example, be fluorescently-labeled TaqMan® probes. In one embodiment, amplification primers and probes may be specific for the pol region of the HIV-1 genome. In another embodiment, the amplification primers and probes may be specific for the env region of the HIV-1 genome. "Cocktails" of multiple amplification primers and/or probes may be used to achieve maximal coverage of different HIV-1 subtypes.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to apparatuses for delivering one or more volumes of fluids to one or more microfluidics devices. The invention further relates to methods for delivering one or more volumes of fluids to one or more microfluidics devices. Additionally, the invention relates to systems that include apparatuses for delivering one or more volumes of fluids to one or more microfluidics devices.
Abstract:
A method of mixing a droplet, the method comprising providing a droplet on a surface, forming the droplet into a first "U" shape having a bottom region and two terminal ends, and simultaneously merging the terminal ends and splitting the droplet at the bottom region to form a second "U" shape which is substantially opposite the first "U" shape.
Abstract:
Methods, devices and systems for transporting a droplet along a droplet operations gap of a droplet actuator into contact with absorbent material to dispose of the droplet from the gap or from a region of the gap.
Abstract:
A method of conducting an assay, the method comprising incubating a droplet in oil, the droplet comprising an umbelliferone substrate, a sample potentially comprising an enzyme which cleaves the umbelliferone substrate, and zwitterionic surfactant and detecting a signal emitted from the droplet.
Abstract:
A method, comprising receiving an output voltage signal produced by a power supply superimposing an excitation signal onto the output voltage signal to produce a superimposed signal; connecting the superimposed signal to an electrode in a droplet actuator; suppressing the output voltage signal when detecting an impedance of the electrode; and measuring the impedance of the electrode produced by the excitation signal, wherein the impedance indicates presence of liquid at the electrode.