Unitary Biochip Providing Sample-in to Results-Out Processing and Methods of Manufacture

摘要

A biochip for the integration of all steps in a complex process from the insertion of a sample to the generation of a result, performed without operator intervention includes microfluidic and macrofluidic features that are acted on by instrument subsystems in a series of scripted processing steps. Methods for fabricating these complex biochips of high feature density by injection molding are also provided.

主权项

1. A biochip, which upon insertion into an electrophoresis instrument having pneumatic, thermal, high voltage, and optical subsystems, and a process controller, generates a nucleic acid sequencing or sizing profile from at least one sample, said biochip comprising:
a macrofluidic processing subassembly in connection with a fluidic subassembly and a pneumatic subassembly, comprising at least one chamber adapted to receive a sample; the fluidic subassembly, comprising a fluidic plate, and at least one fluid transport channel and an amplification chamber adapted to connecting to the thermal subsystem; the pneumatic subassembly which is adapted to connecting to the pneumatic subsystem of said instrument, and to the subassemblies of said biochip, comprising, a pneumatic plate and one or a plurality of drive lines to pneumatically drive fluids on instructions from said process controller; a separation and detection subassembly adapted for connecting to the high voltage and optical subsystems and process controller on said instrument, said separation and detection subassembly comprising a separation channel, and further comprising a detection region positioned to send signals from each of said channels to said optical subsystem on said instrument; wherein the biochip is plastic, stationary, and unitary, and a footprint of the fluidic and/or pneumatic plates is about 86 mm by 128 mm or greater.