Microfluidic system, experimental method and equipment based on system, and storage medium

Abstract

The invention discloses a microfluidic system, an experimental method based on the system, equipment and a storage medium, the microfluidic system is designed by the following steps: dividing a sample flowing through the microfluidic system into a plurality of functional modules according to different experimental purposes, and each functional module is named by the corresponding sample experimental purpose; establishing a secondary menu under each functional module, wherein the secondary menu comprises specific sample information and mechanical parameters of the functional module; a user can set up an experiment process by dragging or copying the selected function module on an experiment setting-up interface. New experiment editing logic and method are introduced, the usability, efficiency and accuracy of the system are further improved, the learning cost is reduced, and the progress of biomedical research and drug research and development is quickly promoted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of computer technology, and in particular relates to a microfluidic system, an experimental method, a device and a storage medium based on the system. Background Art

[0002] Molecular interaction analyzer is an important tool in the field of biomedical research and drug development. The molecular interaction analyzer based on classical surface plasmon resonance technology can study the interactions between biological molecules with the help of microfluidics technology. It has the advantages of high sensitivity, high reproducibility, and low sample consumption.

[0003] Microfluidics refers to the science and technology of using micron-scale microchannels to process or manipulate tiny fluids. Its characteristics are its miniaturization, integration and high-throughput processing capabilities, which can realize complex biomolecular reactions and interaction analysis in a tiny space. At the same time, microfluidics systems also have the advantages of low sample consumption, fast detection speed, and simple operation, making them very suitable for use in fields such as biomedical research and drug screening.

[0004] Molecular interaction analysis technology provides detailed kinetic parameters and affinity information by real-time monitoring of the interactions between biomolecules, providing strong support for drug development, disease diagnosis and treatment, biomarker discovery, etc. This technology can reveal the interaction mechanism and kinetic characteristics between biomolecules, providing an important means for in-depth understanding of life phenomena and the mechanisms of disease occurrence and development.

[0005] With the development and popularization of technology, the demand for molecular interaction instruments is growing, and both enterprises and institutions have increasingly urgent requirements for their throughput. Microfluidics technology can increase the number of channels for interaction detection in a parallel manner. High-throughput molecular interaction instruments based on microplate design can generally achieve 8 groups of channels and 16 flow cells.

[0006] Although the existing molecular interaction instrument microfluidic system has made great progress, it still has some shortcomings and deficiencies. For example, the microfluidic system has a complex structure, redundant functions, and cumbersome operation, requiring experienced professionals to maintain and operate it. The extremely high requirements for operators increase the learning cost and difficulty of the system, limiting its application in a wider range of fields. Summary of the invention

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention proposes a microfluidic system, an experimental method, a device and a storage medium based on the system.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0009] In a first aspect, the present invention discloses a microfluidic system, which is designed by the following steps, including:

[0010] The samples flowing through the microfluidic system are divided into several functional modules according to different experimental purposes, and each functional module is named according to the corresponding sample experimental purpose;

[0011] A secondary menu is built under each functional module, which includes: specific sample information and mechanical parameters of the functional module;

[0012] Users can build experimental processes by dragging or copying selected functional modules in the experiment building interface.

[0013] Based on the above technical solution, the following improvements can be made:

[0014] As a preferred solution, after the user drags or copies the selected functional module to the experiment construction interface, each functional module is displayed in the form of a block diagram on the experiment construction interface, and the block diagram of each functional module is accompanied by the default parameters of its secondary menu, and the user can modify the parameters of the secondary menu.

[0015] As a preferred solution, the experiment building interface is designed to be divided into several areas, each area is used to place several functional modules distributed in a matrix, so as to build any experimental process;

[0016] The horizontal direction of several functional modules in each area is the experimental process direction, and the vertical direction is the multiple channels of microfluidics, or,

[0017] The longitudinal direction of several functional modules in each area is the experimental process direction, and the lateral direction is the multiple channels of microfluidics;

[0018] And any channel can be opened or closed.

[0019] As a preferred solution, different functional modules are displayed by using different colors.

[0020] As a preferred solution, a plurality of experimental process templates are stored in the microfluidic system, and each of the experimental process modules is constructed by combining a plurality of corresponding functional modules;

[0021] Users can enter experimental conditions in the template search interface to search for corresponding experimental process templates and import them into the experiment construction interface.

[0022] In a second aspect, the present invention discloses an experimental method based on a microfluidic system, using any of the above-mentioned microfluidic systems to conduct an experiment, specifically comprising:

[0023] Step S1: The user drags or copies the selected functional modules to the experiment construction interface, and modifies the sample information and mechanical parameters of each functional module;

[0024] Step S2: Automatically generate a suitable sample arrangement according to the sample information and mechanical parameters, form an arrangement diagram, and list the sample information in an information table;

[0025] Step S3: According to the arrangement diagram and the information table, the minimum sample volume is automatically calculated and the sample is added;

[0026] Step S4: After the user confirms the experimental plan, the microfluidic system is started to conduct the formal experiment;

[0027] Step S5: Collect all data during the experiment, perform further processing and analysis, and automatically generate an experimental report.

[0028] As a preferred solution, step S1 also includes: the user enters the experimental conditions in the template search interface to search for the corresponding experimental process template, imports it into the experiment construction interface, and modifies the sample information and mechanical parameters of each functional module.

[0029] As a preferred solution, when the user uses the same sample with different concentrations to repeat the experimental process multiple times, the system determines that the user is studying any type of experiment, and automatically merges the data of different time periods of the same channel or the same time period of different channels into a coordinate graph and performs fitting calculations according to the model of the experimental type.

[0030] In a third aspect, the present invention discloses a computing device, comprising:

[0031] one or more processors;

[0032] Memory;

[0033] and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in a memory and configured to be executed by one or more processors, and the one or more programs include instructions for any of the above-mentioned experimental methods based on a microfluidic system.

[0034] In a fourth aspect, the present invention discloses a storage medium storing one or more computer-readable programs, wherein the one or more programs include instructions suitable for being loaded by a memory and executing the above-mentioned microfluidic system-based experimental method.

[0035] The present invention discloses a microfluidic system, an experimental method, a device and a storage medium based on the system, which have the following beneficial effects:

[0036] First, the present invention carries out modular design of the microfluidic system, and each functional module contains its own sample information and mechanical action data, which is more convenient for users to quickly check and call it later.

[0037] Second, the modular design not only facilitates users to design experiments, but also greatly improves the efficiency of the instrument. In the data analysis stage, it also makes the instrument more intelligent and can automatically analyze the experimental behavior based on the user's experimental method logic to quickly obtain the data the user wants.

[0038] Third, through modular design and intelligent operation interface, the operation difficulty and learning cost are greatly reduced, making it easy for non-professionals to get started.

[0039] Fourth, the modular design makes the microfluidic system easy to upgrade and expand to adapt to changes in different experimental requirements.

[0040] Fifth, the optimized experimental editing logic and multi-channel management functions make experimental design and execution more efficient and shorten the research cycle.

[0041] In summary, the present invention introduces new experiment editing logic and methods to further improve the usability, efficiency and accuracy of the system, reduce learning costs, and rapidly promote the progress of biomedical research and drug development. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0043] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the experimental construction interface of the microfluidic system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 2 A flowchart of an experimental method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 3 This is one of the example diagrams of the experiment building interface provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 4 This is a second example diagram of the experiment building interface provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a computing device provided for an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] Using ordinal numbers “first,” “second,” “third,” etc. to describe common objects merely indicates that different instances of similar objects are involved and is not intended to imply that the objects so described must have a given order in time, space, order, or in any other manner.

[0051] In addition, the expression of “comprising” an element is an “open” expression, which merely means that corresponding components or steps exist, and should not be interpreted as excluding additional components or steps.

[0052] In order to achieve the purpose of the present invention, in some embodiments of the microfluidic system, the experimental method based on the system, the device and the storage medium, the microfluidic system is designed by the following steps, including:

[0053] The samples flowing through the microfluidic system are divided into several functional modules according to different experimental purposes (such as activation, coupling, capture, regeneration, closure, calibration, Yangshen, etc.), and each functional module is named according to the corresponding sample experimental purpose;

[0054] A secondary menu is built under each functional module, which includes: specific sample information and mechanical parameters of the functional module (such as channel flow rate, injection time, etc.);

[0055] Users can build experimental processes by dragging or copying selected functional modules in the experiment building interface.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, different solution types can be used to name the functional modules, such as: activator, coupling agent, etc., which are shown as solutions 1 to 8 in Figure 1.

[0057] The present invention found that in kinetic research, how to use the multi-channel advantages of microfluidic systems and how to edit and interpret experimental methods easily and quickly are particularly important. By introducing new experimental editing logic and methods, the performance and accuracy of the system can be further improved, the learning cost can be reduced, and the progress of biomedical research and drug development can be rapidly promoted.

[0058] Based on the modular design of the microfluidic system disclosed in the present invention, the user can first arrange the functional modules like building blocks and build the timing process of the experiment.

[0059] Furthermore, in some embodiments, after the user drags or copies the selected function module to the experiment construction interface, each function module is displayed in the form of a block diagram in the experiment construction interface, and the block diagram of each function module is accompanied by the default parameters of its secondary menu. The user can modify the parameters of the secondary menu by double-clicking or right-clicking. After the modification, the process and parameters are clearly presented in the experiment construction interface.

[0060] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the experiment building interface is designed to be divided into several areas, each area is used to place several functional modules distributed in a matrix, so as to build any experimental process;

[0061] The horizontal direction of several functional modules in each area is the experimental process direction, and the vertical direction is the 8 microfluidic channels, and any channel can be opened or closed.

[0062] Further, in some embodiments, a plurality of experimental process templates are stored in the microfluidic system, and each experimental process module is constructed by combining a plurality of corresponding functional modules;

[0063] Users can enter experimental conditions in the template search interface to search for corresponding matching or similar experimental process templates, and import them into the experiment construction interface.

[0064] When the user searches for a laboratory that matches or is similar to his or her own experiment in the template search interface, such as selecting the coupling pH exploration menu under the experimental condition search, selecting the capture method menu under the chip surface preparation, selecting the parallel method menu under the kinetic experiment menu, etc., the user can automatically recommend a quick import of the combined experimental process template, and the user does not need to design from scratch at this time.

[0065] The microfluidic system of the present invention stores common experimental process templates, and users can directly call preset experimental process templates to reduce the time of experimental setup.

[0066] In some embodiments, the present invention discloses an experimental method based on a microfluidic system, using the microfluidic system disclosed in any of the above embodiments to conduct experiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, specifically including:

[0067] Step S101: the user drags or copies the selected functional modules to the experiment building interface, and modifies the sample information and mechanical parameters of each functional module;

[0068] Step S102: Automatically generate a suitable sample arrangement according to the sample information and mechanical parameters, form an arrangement diagram, and list the sample information in an information table;

[0069] Step S103: automatically calculating the minimum sample volume according to the arrangement diagram and the information table, and adding the sample;

[0070] Step S104: After the user confirms the experimental plan, the microfluidic system is started to conduct a formal experiment, and the steps of reagent injection, mixing, real-time detection, etc. are performed according to the preset plan;

[0071] Step S105: Collect all data during the experiment (such as calculating affinity constants, kinetic parameters, etc.), perform further processing and analysis, and automatically generate an experimental report.

[0072] For step S101, the microfluidic system is designed with flexible experimental editing logic, allowing users to quickly build and edit the experimental process by dragging and copying corresponding functional modules to make any combination. Taking eight channels as the starting point for construction, parallel detection channels can be closed at will.

[0073] For example, the user first activates a channel, then couples a certain amount of analyte, and finally blocks the activation. In step S1, the user can drag the activation module, coupling module, and blocking module to the experiment building interface to build the experiment.

[0074] Regarding step S102, after the construction is completed, the microfluidic system can automatically calculate the required volume of the sample and the arrangement plan on the well plate, and can also perform personalized adjustments.

[0075] Specifically, after the experiment is set up, the appropriate sample arrangement is automatically generated based on the sample information and mechanical action parameters. For example, if the analyte with the same concentration and the same name appears multiple times in the edited module method, the minimum volume required is calculated based on the injection time, flow rate, number of times, dead volume, etc., and the samples are arranged in order according to the orifice type. The default principle is to save orifice space and be sufficient.

[0076] At the same time, the above arrangement also supports modification. The software will automatically calculate the minimum consumption and clean the information table corresponding to the orifice plate legend for easy inspection.

[0077] Furthermore, in some embodiments, step S101 also includes: the user inputs the experimental conditions in the template search interface to search for the corresponding experimental process template, imports it into the experiment construction interface, and modifies the sample information and mechanical parameters of each functional module.

[0078] Furthermore, in some embodiments, when a user uses the same sample with different concentrations for repeated experimental processes multiple times, the system determines that the user is studying any type of experiment (such as molecular dynamics), and automatically merges the data of different time periods of the same channel or the same time period of different channels into a coordinate graph and performs fitting calculations according to the experimental type model (such as a kinetic model), which facilitates customer observation and quick acquisition of preliminary data, saving user operation and adjustment time.

[0079] In addition to being beneficial to the user's experimental design, the modular design also greatly improves the efficiency of the instrument. In the data analysis stage, it also makes the instrument more intelligent and can perform automated analysis based on the user's method logic to quickly obtain the data the user wants.

[0080] In summary, if Figure 3 As shown in the figure, it shows the experiment construction interface, and the top is the functional modules involved in the molecular interaction experiment, such as: Activator, Deactivator, Ligand, Analyte, Regeneration, capture, etc. Different functional modules can be displayed in different colors.

[0081] On the left are multiple channels of microfluidics, which can be closed and used at will. When confirming the experimental process, you can drag the functional modules to the middle in turn to complete the logical sorting. Double-click the functional module to modify the default parameters. The mechanical-related flow rate, contact time, and channel logic are displayed at the top, and the sample-related variable information will appear in the channel row.

[0082] After the experimental process is completed, Figure 4 As shown, the system automatically arranges the positions on the well plate according to the experimental content and lists the sample information in the information table on the right. The positions can be dragged and exchanged, and the sample can be added according to the minimum sample volume calculated according to the arrangement diagram and the content in the information table.

[0083] The present invention uses sample information (such as solution type) as the horizontal coordinate and multiple channels as the vertical coordinate to quickly build the process. The default mechanical parameters and sample parameter cleaning are presented on the content page, and then automatically arranged. Users can build their own experimental process with clear logic and simplicity, and the presentation of the entire process is clear and concise, making the operation of complex multi-channel SPR molecular interaction instruments easy to use.

[0084] The construction of the above functional modules not only makes program editing as simple as building blocks, but also facilitates the analysis of methods after the experiment. When analyzing the experimental results, you can quickly classify and select specific samples (such as solutions), and automatically calculate the key indicators required in the sample logic combination (such as solution logic combination). For example: select the positive reference solution, the software determines it as a screening purpose, and automatically compares the results; select the activation solution and the blocking solution, the software determines it as a coupling behavior, and automatically calculates the amount of coupling to judge the coupling effect.

[0085] In addition, in some other embodiments, Figure 5 As shown, the present invention also discloses a computing device, including:

[0086] One or more processors 201;

[0087] Memory 202;

[0088] and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory 202 and configured to be executed by the one or more processors 201, and the one or more programs include instructions of the experimental method disclosed in the above embodiment.

[0089] The processor 201 may include one or more processing cores, such as a 4-core processor, an 8-core processor, etc. The processor 201 may be implemented in at least one hardware form of DSP (Digital Signal Processing), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and PLA (Programmable Logic Array). The processor 201 may also include a main processor and a coprocessor. The main processor is a processor for processing data in an awake state, also known as a CPU (Central Processing Unit); the coprocessor is a low-power processor for processing data in a standby state. In some embodiments, the processor 201 may be integrated with a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), which is responsible for rendering and drawing the content to be displayed on the display screen. In some embodiments, the processor 201 may also include an AI (Artificial Intelligence) processor, which is used to process computing operations related to machine learning.

[0090] The memory 202 may include one or more computer-readable storage media, which may be non-transitory. The memory 202 may also include a high-speed random access memory, and a non-volatile memory, such as one or more disk storage devices, flash memory storage devices. In some embodiments, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in the memory 202 is used to store at least one instruction, which is used to be executed by the processor 201 to implement the experimental method provided by the method embodiment of the present invention.

[0091] In addition, the computing device may optionally include: a peripheral device interface and at least one peripheral device. The processor 201, the memory 202 and the peripheral device interface may be connected via a bus or a signal line. Each peripheral device may be connected to the peripheral device interface via a bus, a signal line or a circuit board. Schematically, the peripheral devices include but are not limited to: a radio frequency circuit, a touch display screen, an audio circuit, and a power supply.

[0092] Of course, the computing device may also include fewer or more components, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0093] In addition, in some other embodiments, the present invention further discloses a storage medium, which stores one or more computer-readable programs, and the one or more programs include instructions, and the instructions are suitable for being loaded by a memory and executing the experimental method disclosed in the above embodiment.

[0094] The present invention discloses a microfluidic system, an experimental method, a device and a storage medium based on the system, which have the following beneficial effects:

[0095] First, the present invention carries out modular design of the microfluidic system, and each functional module contains its own sample information and mechanical action data, which is more convenient for users to quickly check and call it later.

[0096] Second, the modular design not only facilitates users to design experiments, but also greatly improves the efficiency of the instrument. In the data analysis stage, it also makes the instrument more intelligent and can automatically analyze the experimental behavior based on the user's experimental method logic to quickly obtain the data the user wants.

[0097] Third, through modular design and intelligent operation interface, the operation difficulty and learning cost are greatly reduced, making it easy for non-professionals to get started.

[0098] Fourth, the modular design makes the microfluidic system easy to upgrade and expand to adapt to changes in different experimental requirements.

[0099] Fifth, the optimized experimental editing logic and multi-channel management functions make experimental design and execution more efficient and shorten the research cycle.

[0100] In summary, the present invention introduces new experiment editing logic and methods to further improve the usability, efficiency and accuracy of the system, reduce learning costs, and rapidly promote the progress of biomedical research and drug development.

[0101] The above shows and describes the basic principles and main features of the present invention and the advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The above embodiments and descriptions are only for illustrating the principles of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the present invention may have various changes and improvements, which shall fall within the scope of the present invention to be protected. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A microfluidic system, characterized in that The microfluidic system is designed by the following steps, including: The samples flowing through the microfluidic system are divided into several functional modules according to different experimental purposes, and each functional module is named according to the corresponding sample experimental purpose; A secondary menu is built under each functional module, which includes: specific sample information and mechanical parameters of the functional module; Users can build experimental processes by dragging or copying selected functional modules in the experiment building interface.

2. The microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the user drags or copies the selected function module to the experiment construction interface, each function module is displayed in the form of a block diagram on the experiment construction interface, and the block diagram of each function module is accompanied by the default parameters of its secondary menu. The user can modify the parameters of the secondary menu.

3. The microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The experiment building interface is designed to be divided into several areas, each area is used to place several functional modules distributed in a matrix, so as to build any experimental process; The horizontal direction of several functional modules in each area is the experimental process direction, and the vertical direction is the multiple channels of microfluidics, or, The longitudinal direction of several functional modules in each area is the experimental process direction, and the lateral direction is the multiple channels of microfluidics; And any channel can be opened or closed.

4. The microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Different functional modules are displayed through different colors.

5. The microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The microfluidic system stores a number of experimental process templates, and each of the experimental process modules is constructed by combining a number of corresponding functional modules; Users can enter experimental conditions in the template search interface to search for corresponding experimental process templates and import them into the experiment construction interface.

6. An experimental method based on a microfluidic system, characterized in that: The experiment is carried out using the microfluidic system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, specifically comprising: Step S1: The user drags or copies the selected functional modules to the experiment construction interface, and modifies the sample information and mechanical parameters of each functional module; Step S2: Automatically generate a suitable sample arrangement according to the sample information and mechanical parameters, form an arrangement diagram, and list the sample information in an information table; Step S3: According to the arrangement diagram and the information table, the minimum sample volume is automatically calculated and the sample is added; Step S4: After the user confirms the experimental plan, the microfluidic system is started to conduct the formal experiment; Step S5: Collect all data during the experiment, perform further processing and analysis, and automatically generate an experimental report.

7. The experimental method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The step S1 also includes: the user inputs the experimental conditions in the template search interface to search for the corresponding experimental process template, imports it into the experiment construction interface, and modifies the sample information and mechanical parameters of each functional module.

8. The experimental method according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the user uses the same sample with different concentrations to repeat the experimental process multiple times, the system determines that the user is studying any type of experiment, and automatically merges the data of different time periods of the same channel or the same time period of different channels into a coordinate graph and performs fitting calculations according to the model of the experimental type.

9. A computing device, characterized in that include: one or more processors; Memory; And one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and are configured to be executed by one or more processors, and one or more of the programs include instructions for the microfluidic system-based experimental method described in any of claims 6-8.

10. A storage medium, characterized in that The storage medium stores one or more computer-readable programs, and the one or more programs include instructions, and the instructions are suitable for being loaded by the memory and executing the experimental method based on the microfluidic system as described in any one of claims 6-8.

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