Systems and methods for plasmonic heating by combined use of thin plasmonic film-based 2D and 3D structures and a light-emitting diode (LED) for nucleic acids amplification through fast thermal cycling of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are described.

The present invention relates to a substrate for nucleic acid amplification, and a method for manufacturing same, the substrate for rapid and accurate PCR analysis comprising: a transparent substrate; a micro-patterned metal layer formed on the transparent substrate; an N-heterocyclic carbene compound having one end annealed to the surface of the micro-patterned metal layer; and a primer immobilized on the other end of the N-heterocyclic carbene compound.

The present technology provides for an apparatus for detecting polynucleotides in samples, particularly from biological samples. The technology more particularly relates to microfluidic systems that carry out PCR on nucleotides of interest within microfluidic channels, and detect those nucleotides. The apparatus includes a microfluidic cartridge that is configured to accept a plurality of samples, and which can carry out PCR on each sample individually, or a group of, or all of the plurality of samples simultaneously.

A photonic thermocycling device is configured to thermocycle a biological sample. The thermocycling device comprises a light source configured to emit an illumination beam, a reaction block holding a reaction chamber, and a light-absorbing film is coupled to the reaction block and configured to absorb and convert the illumination beam into thermal energy to heat the reaction chamber. A controller generates instructions for operation of the thermocycling device. The thermocycling device may further comprise a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the reaction chamber for calibration of the instructions. A convection cooling element may also be implemented to provide rapid cooling of the reaction chamber. A lens assembly may be implemented for directing and conditioning light generated by the light source towards the light-absorbing film. A second partial light-absorbing film may be included and coupled on an opposite side of the first light-absorbing film, to improve heating uniformity.

The present invention relates to a porous particle composite for PCR, wherein the porous particle composite distributes photothermal nano-elements that generate heat by absorbing light in porous particles in which nucleic acid amplification occurs through temperature control so as not to adjust the temperature of the entire sample by using a hot plate or the like but to adjust the temperature inside the particles by irradiating light to the porous particles to allow nucleic acid amplification inside thereof, thereby reducing energy consumption and shortening diagnostic time.

A microfabricated droplet dispensing structure is described, which may include a MEMS microfluidic fluidic valve, configured to open and close a microfluidic channel. The opening and closing of the valve may separate a target particle and a bead from a sample stream, and direct these two particle into a single droplet formed at the edge of the substrate. The droplet may then be encased in a sheath flow of an immiscible fluid.

A microfabricated droplet dispensing structure is described, which may include a MEMS microfluidic fluidic valve, configured to open and close a microfluidic channel. The opening and closing of the valve may separate a target biological particle containing genomic material, and a bead from a sample stream, and direct these two particle into a single droplet formed at the edge of the substrate. The droplet may then be encased in a sheath flow of an immiscible fluid, and provided to a sequencing module. The sequencing module may sequence the genomic material and/or an identifying barcode attached to the bead.

Methods for regulating and continuously monitoring a chemical synthesis reaction using micro-objects and electro-magnetic radiation include introducing micro-objects to a reaction mixture, determining a plasmon resonance of the micro-object based on a characteristic of the micro-object, and applying electro-magnetic radiation that is wavelength-matched to the plasmon resonance of the micro-object.

The present technology provides for a heater substrate that contains networks of heater elements configured to controllably and selectively deliver heat to one or more PCR reaction chambers in a microfluidic substrate with which the heater substrate makes contact. In exemplary embodiments, the heater substrate can deliver heat to 12, 24, 48, or 96 chambers independently of one another, or simultaneously. The heater substrate is located in a heater unit that may be introduced into a diagnostic apparatus that can receive and position a microfluidic substrate, such as in a cartridge, in contact with the heater unit, receive one or more polynucleotide containing samples into one or more lanes in the microfluidic substrate, and cause amplification of the polynucleotides to occur, and detect presence of absence of specified polynucleotides in the amplified samples.

The present invention provides devices, systems, and methods for rapid and easy-to-use in sample thermal cycling or temperature changes for the facilitation of reactions such as but not limited to PCR.