An apparatus, comprising:na multi-lane microfluidic cartridge, each lane comprising a PCR reaction zone;a receiving bay configured to receive the microfluidic cartridge;each PCR reaction zone comprising a separately controllable heat source thermally coupled thereto, wherein the heat source maintains a substantially uniform temperature throughout the PCR reaction zone and thermal cycles the PCR reaction zone to carry out PCR on a polynucleotide-containing sample in the PCR reaction zone;a detector configured to detect the presence of an amplification product in the respective PCR reaction zone; anda processor coupled to the detector and the heat source, configured to control heating of one or more PCR reaction zones by the heat sources.
›2.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a registration member that is complementary to the microfluidic cartridge, whereby the receiving bay rece…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a registration member that is complementary to the microfluidic cartridge, whereby the receiving bay receives the microfluidic cartridge in a single orientation.
›3.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmable to operate the detector to detect a polynucleotide or a probe thereof in a microfluidi…d2+5
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmable to operate the detector to detect a polynucleotide or a probe thereof in a microfluidic cartridge located in the receiving bay.
›4.↳ 3The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the detector is an optical detector.d3+4
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the detector is an optical detector.
›5.↳ 4The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the optical detector comprises a light source that selectively emits light in an absorption band of a fluorescent dy…d4+3
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the optical detector comprises a light source that selectively emits light in an absorption band of a fluorescent dye and a light detector that selectively detects light in an emission band of the fluorescent dye, wherein the fluorescent dye corresponds to a fluorescent polynucleotide probe or a fragment thereof.
›6.↳ 5The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the optical detector comprises a bandpass-filtered diode that selectively emits light in the absorption band of the …d5+2
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the optical detector comprises a bandpass-filtered diode that selectively emits light in the absorption band of the fluorescent dye and a bandpass filtered photodiode that selectively detects light in the emission band of the fluorescent dye.
›7.↳ 6The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the optical detector is configured to independently detect a plurality of fluorescent dyes having different fluoresc…d6
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the optical detector is configured to independently detect a plurality of fluorescent dyes having different fluorescent emission spectra, wherein each fluorescent dye corresponds to a fluorescent polynucleotide probe or a fragment thereof.
›8.↳ 6The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the optical detector is configured to independently detect a plurality of fluorescent dyes at a plurality of differe…d6
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the optical detector is configured to independently detect a plurality of fluorescent dyes at a plurality of different locations, wherein each fluorescent dye corresponds to a fluorescent polynucleotide probe or a fragment thereof.
›9.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmable to operate the plurality of heat sources.d2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmable to operate the plurality of heat sources.
›10.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of heat sources is a contact heat source selected from a resistive heater, a radiator,…d2+7
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of heat sources is a contact heat source selected from a resistive heater, a radiator, a fluidic heat exchanger and a Peltier device.
›11.↳ 10The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the contact heat source is configured at the receiving bay to be thermally coupled to a distinct location in a micr…d3+6
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the contact heat source is configured at the receiving bay to be thermally coupled to a distinct location in a microfluidic cartridge received in the receiving bay, whereby the distinct location is selectively heated.
›12.↳ 11The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the distinct location has a surface area of between about 1 mm2 and about 225 mm2.d4+3
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the distinct location has a surface area of between about 1 mm2 and about 225 mm2.
›13.↳ 12The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the contact heat source is configured to be in direct physical contact with a distinct location of a microfluidic c…d5
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the contact heat source is configured to be in direct physical contact with a distinct location of a microfluidic cartridge received in the receiving bay.
›14.↳ 12The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a compliant layer at the contact heat source configured to thermally couple the contact heat source with…d5+1
The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a compliant layer at the contact heat source configured to thermally couple the contact heat source with at least a portion of a microfluidic cartridge received in the receiving bay.
›15.↳ 14The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the compliant layer at the contact heat source has a thickness of between about 0.05 and about 2 millimeters and a …d6
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the compliant layer at the contact heat source has a thickness of between about 0.05 and about 2 millimeters and a Shore hardness of between about 25 and about 100.
›16.↳ 11The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the distinct location has a surface area of between about 1 mm2 and about 100 mm2.d4+1
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the distinct location has a surface area of between about 1 mm2 and about 100 mm2.
›17.↳ 16The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one additional contact heat source, wherein the contact heat sources are each configured at the…d5
The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one additional contact heat source, wherein the contact heat sources are each configured at the receiving bay to be independently thermally coupled to a different distinct location in a microfluidic cartridge received in the receiving bay, whereby the distinct locations are independently heated.
›18.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of heat sources is a radiative heat source configured to direct heat to a distinct loc…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of heat sources is a radiative heat source configured to direct heat to a distinct location of a microfluidic cartridge received in the receiving bay.
›19.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lid at the receiving bay, the lid being operable to at least partially exclude ambient light from the r…d2+5
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lid at the receiving bay, the lid being operable to at least partially exclude ambient light from the receiving bay.
›20.↳ 19The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid is a sliding lid.d3
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid is a sliding lid.
›21.↳ 19The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid comprises the optical detector.d3
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid comprises the optical detector.
›22.↳ 19The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a major face of the lid at the receiving bay varies from planarity by less than about 100 micrometers.d3
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a major face of the lid at the receiving bay varies from planarity by less than about 100 micrometers.
›23.↳ 19The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid is configured to be removable from the apparatus.d3
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid is configured to be removable from the apparatus.
›24.↳ 19The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid comprises a latching member.d3
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid comprises a latching member.
›25.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one input device coupled to the processor, the input device being selected from the group consis…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one input device coupled to the processor, the input device being selected from the group consisting of a keyboard, a touch-sensitive surface, a microphone, a hard disk drive, an optical disk drive, a serial connection, a parallel connection, a wireless network connection, a wired network connection and a mouse.
›26.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one sample identifier coupled to the processor, the sample identifier being selected from an opt…d2+1
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one sample identifier coupled to the processor, the sample identifier being selected from an optical character reader, a bar code reader and a radio frequency tag reader.
›27.↳ 26The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the sample identifier is a handheld bar code reader.d3
The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the sample identifier is a handheld bar code reader.
›28.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one output coupled to the processor, the output being selected from a display, a printer, a spea…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one output coupled to the processor, the output being selected from a display, a printer, a speaker, a serial connection, a parallel connection, a wireless network connection and a wired network connection.
›29.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating stage configured to be removable from the apparatus wherein at least one of the plurality of he…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating stage configured to be removable from the apparatus wherein at least one of the plurality of heat sources is located in the heating stage.
›30.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, configured to carry out PCR on multiple polynucleotide-containing samples, and to detect presence of an amplification produc…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, configured to carry out PCR on multiple polynucleotide-containing samples, and to detect presence of an amplification product in each of the samples.
›31.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, configured to carry out PCR on 4, 8, 10, 16, 20, 24, 25, 30, 32, 36, 40, or 48 samples.d2
The apparatus of claim 1, configured to carry out PCR on 4, 8, 10, 16, 20, 24, 25, 30, 32, 36, 40, or 48 samples.
›32.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polynucleotide-containing sample is PCR-ready.d2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polynucleotide-containing sample is PCR-ready.
