SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES

摘要

A system and method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a set of biological samples, comprising: a molecular diagnostic module configured to receive nucleic acids bound to magnetic beads, isolate nucleic acids, and analyze nucleic acids, comprising a cartridge receiving module, a heating/cooling subsystem and a magnet configured to facilitate isolation of nucleic acids, a valve actuation subsystem including an actuation substrate, and a set of pins interacting with the actuation substrate, and a spring plate configured to bias at least one pin in a configurations, the valve actuation subsystem configured to control fluid flow through a microfluidic cartridge for processing nucleic acids, and an optical subsystem for analysis of nucleic acids; and a fluid handling system configured to deliver samples and reagents to components of the system to facilitate molecular diagnostic protocols.

主权项

1. A system configured to receive a cartridge including a set of fluidic pathways for processing and detecting nucleic acids, each fluidic pathway in the set of fluidic pathways including a set of occlusion positions, wherein the system comprises:
a cartridge platform for receiving and aligning the cartridge, including an access region that provides access to the set of occlusion positions; a valve actuation subsystem situated inferior to the cartridge platform including:
an actuation substrate including an array of active regions,a set of pins, each pin in the set of pins including a distal end and a displacement region and operable in: a retracted configuration activated by translation of an active region of the actuation substrate into alignment with the displacement region, and an extended configuration, activated by translation of the active region away from the displacement region, that occludes an occlusion position contacting the distal end,a spring plate including a set of springs that bias each pin in the set of pins toward the extended configuration, and wherein transitioning from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration compresses a spring of the set of springs, andan actuator coupled to at least one of the actuation substrate, the pin housing, and the spring plate, and configured to provide relative displacement between the array of active regions and the set of pins; and a linear actuator configured to provide relative displacement between the cartridge platform and the valve actuation subsystem, to facilitate cartridge placement.