Lab-on-a-chip fluid control via vacuum pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated lab-on-a-chip diagnostic systems face limitations in multi-stage processing and analysis of cellular material, particularly in extracting, purifying, and detecting nucleic acids efficiently and effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an integrated lab-on-a-chip and an instrument with a loading chamber, extraction chamber, reaction unit, and valves that control fluid flow, utilizing pumps to generate positive and negative pressures for fluid manipulation, and a magnetic actuator for bead movement, enabling multi-stage processing and analysis, including lysis, washing, elution, and amplification of nucleic acids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an integrated lab-on-a-chip system is used for multi-stage processing of cellular material, then the efficiency and integration of extraction, purification, and detection processes are improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of fluid manipulation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple processing functions (lysis, extraction, purification, and detection) into a single integrated lab-on-a-chip device. The chip integrates multiple chambers including a lysis chamber, extraction chamber, and detection chamber, allowing sequential processing of cellular material without requiring separate equipment for each step, thereby improving efficiency while managing complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a vacuum system with a vacuum source connected to the chip through fluid communication to enable fluid manipulation. The vacuum system creates negative pressure to drive fluid flow through the integrated chambers, eliminating the need for complex mechanical pumps or valves within the chip itself, thus simplifying the overall device architecture while maintaining efficient multi-stage processing capability.
2Ease of operation
If a vacuum system is used for fluid manipulation in the lab-on-a-chip, then the ease of operation and fluid control are improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The lab-on-a-chip system utilizes the vacuum source to automatically drive fluid flow through the integrated chambers without requiring manual intervention or complex control mechanisms. The vacuum pressure differential self-regulates fluid movement from the sample inlet through the lysis chamber, extraction chamber, and to the waste outlet, simplifying operation while the vacuum system remains an external component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the fluid manipulation function from the chip structure itself and places it in an external vacuum system. The chip is designed with fluid communication pathways that work passively with the external vacuum source, separating the complex fluid control function from the analytical functions within the chip, thereby improving ease of operation while managing device complexity through functional separation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient extraction, purification, amplification, and detection of nucleic acids on a single lab-on-a-chip, allowing for direct quantification and analysis of RNA or DNA within biological samples, suitable for point-of-care or laboratory settings.
Implementation Method 1
operation of the one of more pumps enables the generation of positive and negative pressures in the extraction chamber to enable pumping of fluid into and out of the extraction chamber
Implementation Method 2
one or more valves that control flow of fluid; the loading chamber and the reaction unit being selectively enabled to be in fluid communication with the extraction chamber by actuation of the one or more valves
Implementation Method 3
an instrument comprising: a) an interface for holding the integrated lab-on-a-chip; b) one or more valve actuators or vacuum system for actuating one or more valves of the integrated lab-on-a-chip
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods and apparatus for extracting and analysing cellular material utilizing an integrated lab-on-a-chip (LOG) (1) and an instrument (2). The instrument (2) comprises an interface (4) for holding the LOG, one or more valve actuators or vacuum system (5), a detection unit (6) and one or more pumps (7). The LOG comprises a loading chamber (L), an extraction chamber (21), a reaction unit (22), and one or more valves (V1-V10). The extraction chamber (21) comprises one or more gas ports (37, 38) that are configured to be placed in fluid communication with the one or more pumps (7) to enable the generation of positive and negative pressures in the extraction chamber (21) to enable pumping of fluid into and out of the extraction chamber (21).