Pump Valve Liquid-Path Control for Flexible Sample Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-throughput sequencing technologies face issues with sample loading flexibility, cross-contamination, and sequencing efficiency due to manual sample loading and index/barcode assignment errors, leading to false positives and negatives.
Innovation Solution
A liquid path system with a pump valve assembly that allows for flexible sample loading through multiple fluid channels, enabling samples to enter from either the inlet or outlet, reducing cross-contamination and improving sequencing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual sample loading is used, then sample loading flexibility is improved, but cross-contamination risk increases and sequencing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow cell is divided into multiple independent fluid channels (first fluid channel, second fluid channel, etc.), each capable of independently loading samples. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple samples simultaneously, improving sequencing efficiency while maintaining flexible manual or automated loading options for each channel.
Solution Approach 2:
A liquid path system with pump valve assembly is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between sample sources and fluid channels. This intermediary system provides controlled liquid transfer, reducing cross-contamination risk while enabling flexible sample loading configurations through programmable pump valve assembly operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual sample loading is used, then sample loading flexibility is improved, but cross-contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid path system with pump valve assembly serves as a controlled intermediary that transfers samples between different locations. This intermediary mechanism provides precise control over liquid flow paths, ensuring samples move only through intended channels and preventing cross-contamination between samples while maintaining flexible loading capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual loading process is extracted and replaced with an automated liquid path system for sample transfer operations. This extraction eliminates human intervention in the critical sample transfer step, reducing cross-contamination risk while the system maintains flexibility through programmable control of the pump valve assembly.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple samples are loaded manually, then sequencing capacity is improved, but sequencing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the sequencing process across multiple parallel fluid channels, each capable of independently processing samples. This segmentation enables concurrent sequencing of multiple samples simultaneously, increasing sequencing capacity while reducing total sequencing time through parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid path system enables continuous sample transfer and processing operations through automated pump valve assembly control. Samples can be continuously loaded, transferred, and processed without interruption across multiple channels, maintaining continuous useful action and reducing idle time compared to manual batch processing.
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
Enhances sample loading flexibility and sequencing quality by minimizing cross-contamination and reducing sequencing time, thereby improving overall sequencing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
using the pump valve assembly to aspirate a plurality of samples under test from a sample cartridge and pump each sample under test from the outlet of one corresponding fluid channel into the fluid channel
Data Source
AI summary
The present application discloses a method for controlling the liquid inflow of a liquid path system, a liquid path system, a sequencing apparatus, a computer device, and a computer storage medium. The method includes: using a pump valve assembly to aspirate a plurality of samples under test from a sample cartridge and pump each sample under test from an outlet of one corresponding fluid channel into the fluid channel; or using the pump valve assembly to aspirate a single sample under test from the sample cartridge and pump the single sample under test from an inlet of each fluid channel into the fluid channel. In this way, different sample loading modes can be selected according to the number of the samples under test, improving the loading flexibility of the samples under test. In addition, by allowing each of the plurality of samples under test to enter from the outlet of one corresponding fluid channel into the fluid channel, the cross-contamination among the plurality of samples under test is avoided, and the sequencing quality and the sequencing efficiency are improved.