Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to chips, particularly microfluidic chips, that are rotatable and/or have a generally circular or rotationally symmetric geometry. The chips may be substantially planar in certain instances. In some cases, the chips of the invention can have more than one reaction site, which can, for example, contain cells. The reaction site can be very small, in some cases with a volume of less than about 1 ml. Reactions, transport, and/or other manipulations within the chip can be facilitated by rotating the chip, for example, at tens, hundreds or thousands of revolutions per minute (RPM). In some cases, data may also be written to and/or read from the chip. The chips of the invention can be used, for example, to move fluid from one portion of a chip to another, to concentrate and/or separate a mixture (e.g., a cell suspension), to lyse or fractionate a cell, or the like.
Abstract:
The present invention provides techniques for conveniently and reliably storing and/or retrieving data associated with a chemical, biological, or biochemical chip, reactor, or reaction system. The data can pertain to the reactor; to chemical, biological, or biochemical species introduced into, taken from, or otherwise associated with the reactor; to conditions to which the reactor and/or some or all of its contents has been, is being, or will be exposed to, or the like. Various aspects of the present invention relate to memory and data storage components suitable for use in chips or other reaction systems. These components may include silicon integrated circuits, magnetic media, optical media, radio-frequency tags, smart cards, bar-codes and other kinds of data storage devices. The chip may contain a reaction site having a volume of less than about 2 ml. In some embodiments, the chip may be constructed in such a way as to be able to support a living cell. The chip may be used for imaging or analysis, or the chip may be used to facilitate a chemical or biological reaction, which may be light-sensitive or light-activated in certain cases. Other facilitated reactions may include the production and/or consumption of a chemical or biological species. In some embodiments, the chip may include more than one component or component type, and/or more than one reaction site.
Abstract:
Disclosed are systems and methods for manipulating chemical, biological, and/or biochemical samples, optionally supported on substrates and/or within chambers, for example biological samples contained on chips, within biological chambers, etc. In certain embodiments, an apparatus configured to be able to position a chamber or other substrate in one or more modules surrounding the apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may be configured to be able to move the chamber or substrate in any set of directions, such as radially, vertically, and/or rotationally, with respect to the apparatus. The apparatus may be manually operated and/or automatically controlled. Examples of modules include, but are not limited to, stacking or holding modules, barcode readers, filling modules, sampling modules, incubation modules, sensor modules (e.g., for determining cell density, cell viability, pH, oxygen concentration, nutrient concentration, fluorescence measurements, etc.), assay modules (e.g., for ELISA or other biological assays), data analysis and management modules, control modules, etc. Sensors, control systems, and the like may also be positioned to facilitate operation of the device. Certain embodiments of the invention may be used, for example, to promote or optimize chemical synthesis or cell or biological growth, for instance, for the production of compounds such as drugs or other therapeutics.
Abstract:
Disclosed are systems and methods for manipulating chemical, biological, and/or biochemical samples, optionally supported on substrates and/or within chambers, for example biological samples contained on chips, within biological chambers, etc. In certain embodiments, an apparatus configured to be able to position a chamber or other substrate in one or more modules surrounding the apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may be configured to be able to move the chamber or substrate in any set of directions, such as radially, vertically, and/or rotationally, with respect to the apparatus. The apparatus may be manually operated and/or automatically controlled. Examples of modules include, but are not limited to, stacking or holding modules, barcode readers, filling modules, sampling modules, incubation modules, sensor modules (e.g., for determining cell density, cell viability, pH, oxygen concentration, nutrient concentration, fluorescence measurements, etc.), assay modules (e.g., for ELISA or other biological assays), data analysis and management modules, control modules, etc. Sensors, control systems, and the like may also be positioned to facilitate operation of the device. Certain embodiments of the invention may be used, for example, to promote or optimize chemical synthesis or cell or biological growth, for instance, for the production of compounds such as drugs or other therapeutics.
Abstract:
This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for manipulating chambers and other substrates for chemical, biological, or biochemical samples, such as cell culture and other chambers, within units such as incubators. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a technique for maintaining a plurality of substrates or chambers in a housing within which a predetermined environment is maintained, different from the environment external to the housing, and moving substrates or chambers in and out of the housing, in some cases without creating a large opening in the housing (e.g., by opening a door significantly larger than the substrates). A technique is provided, in certain embodiments, in which a plurality of substrates are mounted in fixed, secured relation to each other within a housing providing a predetermined, controlled environment, and are moved within the housing so that they can be evenly exposed to any differences in environment within the housing. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a technique for agitating a fluid within one or more chambers or substrates within a housing that can provide environmental control, in certain embodiments without physically stirring the fluid, such as with a stir bar or other stirring element in direct contact with the fluid. In still another embodiment, the invention provides a method for rotating a substrate or chamber about a substantially vertical and/or horizontal axis. In some cases, any of the above-described systems can be rotated at a speed sufficient to cause separation of a substance within the chamber or substrate.
Abstract:
A robotic end effector for collecting frozen aliquots from an array of frozen samples in a plurality of containers has a coring bit for taking frozen sample cores from the frozen samples and a frozen sample core extraction system adapted to extract frozen sample cores from the frozen samples. A fill level detection system is adapted to detect the positions of the surfaces of the frozen samples. A processor is adapted to receive signals from the fill level detection system and use the signals and information concerning operation of the frozen sample core extraction system to determine at least one of the following: (a) the amount of material contained in a frozen sample core obtained by the coring bit; and (b) the number of frozen sample cores needed from a particular frozen sample to obtain a predetermined amount of material from that frozen sample.
Abstract:
A robotic end effector for collecting frozen aliquots from an array of frozen samples in a plurality of containers has a coring bit for taking frozen sample cores from the frozen samples and a frozen sample core extraction system adapted to extract frozen sample cores from the frozen samples. A fill level detection system is adapted to detect the positions of the surfaces of the frozen samples. A processor is adapted to receive signals from the fill level detection system and use the signals and information concerning operation of the frozen sample core extraction system to determine at least one of the following: (a) the amount of material contained in a frozen sample core obtained by the coring bit; and (b) the number of frozen sample cores needed from a particular frozen sample to obtain a predetermined amount of material from that frozen sample.