Shared-Optical qPCR Reactors With Independent Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current qPCR instruments face challenges in achieving thermal uniformity across multiple sample wells, particularly in multi-well microchips, leading to uneven heating and cooling, and high manufacturing costs in single-sample slot formats, with limited throughput and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A modularized qPCR system with a shared optical system and independent temperature control for each reactor, utilizing a lightpipe and lightguide configuration to uniformly distribute light across multiple reactors, allowing simultaneous scanning and monitoring of multiple thermal cyclers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a shared optical system is used for multiple reactors, then manufacturing cost is reduced and throughput is increased, but thermal uniformity across multiple sample wells becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the thermal control into independent modules, with each reactor having its own temperature control system. This segmentation allows each reactor to maintain optimal thermal conditions independently while sharing the optical detection system, thus resolving the contradiction between throughput improvement and thermal uniformity maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is designed as a universal shared resource that can detect fluorescence from multiple reactors simultaneously. This multi-functional optical system reduces manufacturing costs and increases throughput while the independent thermal control systems ensure each reactor maintains its own thermal uniformity.
2Temperature
If independent temperature control is provided for each reactor, then thermal uniformity is maintained, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple reactors into a single integrated system that shares common components such as the optical detection system, sample loading mechanism, and control electronics. Only the temperature control systems are independently provided for each reactor, merging the benefits of thermal uniformity with cost reduction through component sharing.
3Illumination intensity
If light is distributed to multiple wells, then fluorescence detection is enabled, but thermal uniformity across wells deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system is segmented to provide light to each reactor independently through separate light paths or selectively activated light sources. This allows fluorescence detection in multiple wells while maintaining independent thermal control for each reactor, preventing thermal interference between adjacent wells.
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
The system achieves uniform light distribution and thermal control across multiple reactors, reducing manufacturing costs and increasing throughput while maintaining high sensitivity and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
The illumination system comprises of (i) a light source with a set of lenses and filters; (ii) a lightpipe, and (iii) a lightguide. The lightpipe comprises of an array of light pipes that receive the light from the light source and uniformly distribute it into the lightguide.
Implementation Method 2
The lightguide has an array of light reflecting structures to reflect part of each light ray into each biological sample in each sample holder
Implementation Method 3
an excitation light is directed at the samples in the sample vessels, and light emitted from the fluorophores in the samples is detected
Data Source
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AI summary
The present random access PCR reactor for biological analysis, comprises of a number of PCR reactors held on a platform, and one optical system to be shared by all of the PCR reactors on the platform. The optical system is held on a traverse mechanism to move it over any one of the PCR reactors that are ready to be imaged. Other PCR reactors on the platform can be accesses and replaced. The optical system has a lightpipe and a lightguide that distributes a uniform light over all the samples held on the reactor. The lightguide of the present optical system has a set of light reflecting structures that are strategically located to uniformly reflect an incoming light towards all the samples held in the PCR reactor that is being tested.