Technology
Challenges to Sample Preparation
Although dramatic technological breakthroughs in the development of complex analytical instrumentation have been made in the last decade, efficiently generating and interpreting data from DNA, RNA and proteins remains difficult. Advances in sequencing have created a growing demand for samples, and preparing consistently reliable molecules is a fundamental challenge in terms of time, cost and efficiency. Researchers typically must choose between implementing expensive automated systems that occupy too much laboratory space and relying on complex, tedious and often imprecise manual methods. Additionally, in applications such as DNA forensics, samples can be scarce.
There is also a fundamental mismatch between the volumes (as large as 10 ml) in which real world samples present and the volumes (as small as 10 nL) used by modern analytical instrumentation. This 10,000,000-fold mismatch wastes large amounts of expensive consumables and precious samples.
Why Automated Microfluidics?
Microfluidics provides automation in elegantly small devices and offers researchers new choices that match their applications. For DNA sequencing, molecular diagnostics and human identification applications, the immediate benefits of an integrated, automated microfluidics workflow are substantial and include:
- Reduced labor costs for laboratory staffing
- Reduced errors in sample products
- Consistently reliable samples for sensitive and precise assays
- Major savings in expensive reagents
- Efficient use of scarce samples
- Ability to process more samples in less lab space
Why IntegenX Solutions?
IntegenX is developing several automated, microscale biological sample preparation and analytical systems to integrate procedures that have been typically performed in separate, semi-automated workflows, even with microfluidics. Our breakthrough MOVe™ microfluidic chips offer significant advantages over other microfluidics-based devices. Most microfluidic chips rely primarily on diffusion for sample mixing, but this method limits process efficiency. Our exclusive technology overcomes the most common shortcoming of microfluidics—poor liquid mixing due to laminar flow on the chip. IntegenX microfluidic chips perform more complex, integrated processes more efficiently than other microfluidic devices on the market today because of this key property.
Microfluidics and the Future
Just as semiconductor chip development enabled mass production of powerful computing devices in incrementally smaller footprint devices, microfluidics will be the cornerstone of significantly smaller, integrated sample preparation and analysis platforms. This technology is poised to reduce laboratory workflow complexity through process integration. Integrating multiple laboratory workflow steps into one smaller microfluidics-based device will also facilitate the development of more portable devices that require less skill to operate.
Sample-to-Answer: A New Paradigm
The power of automated microfluidics will enable a new paradigm in life science applications and measurements in the lab and in the field. In DNA forensics, such devices could be taken to a crime scene to quickly assess suspects. Field-ready systems could also be useful in agriculture to perform real-time tests of crops for plant or human pathogens such as Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7, the bacterium that caused a multi-state outbreak of infections from contaminated spinach in 2006. In human healthcare, these devices could be used in hospitals to reduce nosocomial infections with problematic microorganisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is increasing in prevalence and resistance. IntegenX is developing disruptive technologies able to address many of these challenges.
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