Apparatuses and Methods for Operating a Digital Microfluidic Device

Abstract

Described herein are apparatuses and methods for the processing and/or measurements of chemical or biochemical samples on a digital microfluidic device. Also described are methods to configure and operate the modules for efficient processing and measurements of the samples on the device. The apparatus can be used in applications such as DNA/RNA/protein/cell concentration/purification, real-time PCR, isothermal amplification, immunoassay, cell-based assay, library preparation for NGS sequencing, etc.

1 . An apparatus for operating at least one digital microfluidic (DMF) device, and performing processing and/or analyzing of one or more biologic sample(s) on said device(s), which comprises:
 a) at least one voltage control module to provide electric signals to the DMF device for the manipulation of the liquids/droplets on said device(s); and   b) at least one magnet control module which controls one or more magnets, wherein each magnet has at least two degrees of freedom of movement (or two independent movement directions).   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one degree of freedom is to move the magnet(s) close to the DMF device to produce a magnetic field at a specified location on the device or to move the magnets away far enough that insignificant or zero magnetic field is produced at any location on the DMF device. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the degree of freedom of the movement is a linear motion and is perpendicular to the DMF device. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the magnet can be brought to as close as making a physical contact with the DMF device. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one magnet is a focusing magnet. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein all the magnets are controlled by the same magnet control module, so that the magnets always move along the same direction and by the same distance. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one temperature control module with at least one temperature control element for controlling at least one region of the DMF device to a specified temperature setpoint or a specified temperature profile. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the temperature control module has at least one degree of freedom of movement, which is to move the temperature control element(s) to as close as making thermal contact(s) to the DMF device or away far enough that the heat transfer with the DMF device is insignificant or zero. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one optical detection module for performing optical measurement from at least one location on the DMF device. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the optical detection module has at least one degree of freedom of movement. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the degree of freedom of movement is a linear motion and is perpendicular to the DMF device. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one optical excitation module for the optical excitation of the sample(s) in the DMF device. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the optical excitation module has at least one degree of freedom of movement. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the degree of freedom of movement is a linear motion and is perpendicular to the DMF device. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising an electronic module that measures the position and volume information of a droplet by measuring the capacitance from the related electrodes on the DMF device. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the droplet volume and position information are used to control said droplet. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the voltage control module comprises at least one retractable electric connector for making electric contact(s) with the DMF device. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , where the at least one retractable electric connector comprises a set of spring-loaded pogo pins.