Sample Container Shuttling for Rapid Nucleic Acid Thermal Cycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional nucleic acid testing methods, such as PCR and qPCR, require significant time and energy due to the need to cycle the reaction solution through multiple temperatures, limiting their use in situations requiring rapid diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
Devices and methods involving a sample container that is shuttled between fixed-position temperature zones and a detection zone, using a shuttling mechanism to rapidly process and analyze nucleic acid samples, eliminating bulky containers and thermoelectric coolers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional thermal cyclers use TEC to heat and cool reaction solution through tube walls, then temperature cycling can be achieved, but processing time becomes long and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving heat through the walls of a stationary tube using TEC, the invention inverts the approach by directly contacting the reaction solution with heating/cooling blocks that can be rapidly positioned against the sample container. This reverses the traditional thermal transfer path and enables much faster thermal cycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic positioning of heating and cooling blocks that can rapidly move into and out of contact with the sample container. This dynamic approach allows quick switching between temperature zones without the thermal inertia limitations of stationary TEC systems, dramatically reducing processing time.
2Reliability
If qPCR performs 30-50 cycles of heating to 95°C and cooling to 60°C, then nucleic acid amplification can be achieved, but processing time extends to an hour or more
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-positions heating and cooling blocks in readiness, and uses rapid mechanical positioning to bring them into contact with the sample container only when needed. This preliminary preparation of thermal zones enables the 30-50 PCR cycles to be completed in minutes rather than hours, while maintaining detection accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If thermal cyclers use plastic tubes with TEC for heating and cooling, then sample processing can be performed, but device complexity and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the TEC component entirely from the system, replacing it with simpler heating blocks and a rapid positioning mechanism. This removal of the bulky TEC system reduces device complexity and size while maintaining the ability to perform thermal cycling through direct contact heating and cooling.
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 rapid processing and analysis of nucleic acid samples by reducing cycle time and energy consumption, making it suitable for quick and accurate diagnoses.
Implementation Method 1
the first and second temperature zones each comprise temperature regulators (e.g., heaters) that the sample container is brought into contact with
Implementation Method 2
a shuttling mechanism (e.g., motor, servo, etc.) physically moves the sample container between first temperature regulator
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are devices and methods for the rapid processing and analysis of samples. In particular, a small-volume sample (e.g., nucleic acid sample) is exposed to (e.g., contacted with) different temperature zones within a device to process (e.g., amplify) and/or analyze (e.g., quantitate) the sample in an assay.