Biological Detection System and Method of Use

Abstract

Provided herein is a biological detection system and method of use wherein the biological detection system comprises at least one mixer or liquid bridge for combining at least two liquid droplets and an error correction system for detecting whether or not proper mixing or combining of the two component droplets have occurred.

1 . A system for detecting a biological target comprising:
 a first liquid input for providing a first liquid;   a second liquid input for providing a second liquid;   at least one mixer in fluid communication with the first liquid input and the second liquid input, wherein the mixer is configured to segment the first liquid into at least one first liquid droplet and the second liquid into at least one second liquid droplet and to create a mixed droplet from the first liquid droplet and the second liquid droplet; and   at least one detector, wherein the detector is configured to detect the presence or absence of the at least one first liquid droplet and the at least one second liquid droplet in the mixed droplet.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  comprising a third liquid input in fluid communication with the mixer wherein the mixer is configured segments the third liquid into at least one third liquid droplet. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the mixer mixes the first liquid droplet, the second liquid droplet, and the third liquid droplet to form the mixed droplet. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the first liquid comprises a first fluorescent dye, the second liquid comprising a second fluorescent dye, and the third liquid comprising a third fluorescent dye, each of the first, second, and third fluorescent dyes emitting fluorescence upon excitation wherein the fluorescence emitted from each is spectrally resolvable from the fluorescence emitted from the others. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the system comprises a thermocycler. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the system comprises a fluid charging apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the fluid charging apparatus is a static bar. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the static bar comprises an electrode. 
     
     
         10 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A system for detecting proper mixing of at least three liquids, comprising:
 a conduit system comprising at least a main conduit for carrying a mixed sample droplet;   a mixed sample droplet in the main conduit and comprising a first liquid, a second liquid, and a third liquid, the first liquid comprising a first fluorescent dye, the second liquid comprising a second fluorescent dye, and the third liquid comprising a third fluorescent dye, each of the first, second, and third fluorescent dyes emitting fluorescence upon excitation wherein the fluorescence emitted from each is spectrally resolvable from the fluorescence emitted from the others; and   an optical detection system comprising an excitation source for irradiating the mixed sample droplet in the main conduit and a detector for detecting emissions from the mixed sample droplet to determine whether each of the first, second, and third fluorescent dyes is present in the mixed sample droplet.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the mixed sample droplet is encompassed by a carrier fluid that is substantially immiscible with the mixed sample droplet. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the conduit system further comprises a first auxiliary conduit containing therein the first liquid, a second auxiliary conduit containing therein the second liquid, and a third auxiliary conduit containing therein the third liquid; wherein the first, second, and third auxiliary conduits intersect with the main conduit at a junction configured to form the mixed sample droplet. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the detector comprises a first detector for detecting emission from the first fluorescent dye, a second detector for detecting emission from the second fluorescent dye, and a third detector for detecting emission from the third fluorescent dye. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first detector, the second detector, and the third detector each comprise a camera. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising a signal processing system for monitoring information generated by the detector and determining whether proper mixing of the first liquid, the second liquid, and the third liquid has occurred in the mixed sample droplet. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the first and second dyes comprise a passive reference dye and the third dye comprises a reporter dye. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising a train of droplets including the mixed sample droplet, in the main conduit, the train of droplets comprising carriages each comprising a plurality of spaced apart droplets, wherein a first spacing is provided between adjacent droplets within each carriage, and the carriages are spaced apart from adjacent carriages by a second spacing that differs from the first spacing. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 24  further comprising:
 a conduit support board that holds the main conduit; and 
 
       an excitation source support board that holds the excitation source; wherein the conduit support board and the excitation source support board are disposed parallel to each other such that the main conduit and the excitation source are aligned with each other and at least a portion of the main conduit is exposed to radiation emitted from the excitation source. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the conduit support board holds a plurality of main conduits and the excitation source support board holds a plurality of excitation sources. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising a plurality of conduit support boards, a plurality of excitation boards, and a housing in which the plurality of conduit support boards and the plurality of excitation support boards are retained. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising a fiber optic cable connected to the detector and configured to receive fluorescent emissions from the main conduit. 
     
     
         42 .- 44 . (canceled)