Hybrid Integrated Microfluidic Device for Sample Preparation and qPCR on an EWD Platform

Journal Title: Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research (BJSTR) - Year 2019, Vol 19, Issue 1

Abstract

The molecular diagnosis of blood infections is challenging because pathogens exist in the bloodstream in very low concentrations. Consequently, such sparse target populations require DNA extraction and purification from large volume biofluids. This work utilizes the advances in microfluidic technologies to demonstrate the nucleic acid purification - qPCR sequence detection workflow for this application. Immiscible Phase Filtration (IPF) for nucleic acid purification and Electrowetting-on Dielectric (EWD) droplet actuation are combined on a hybrid microfluidic device that translates from large volume sample-to-small-volume analysis. After IPF reduces the sample volume from a milliliter-sized lysate to a microliter-sized eluent, EWD can be used to automatically prepare the PCR mixture. This step begins with transporting droplets of the PCR reagents to mix with the eluent droplets. Suitable assays, microfluidic stages, and auxiliary systems are described. The extent of purification obtained per IPF wash, and hence the number of washes needed for uninhibited qPCR, are determined via onchip UV absorbance. The performance of on-chip qPCR, particularly the copy number to threshold cycle correlation, is characterized. Lastly, the above developments accumulate to an experiment that includes the following on-chip steps: DNA purification by IPF, PCR mixture preparation via EWD, and target quantification using qPCR - thereby demonstrating the core procedures in the proposed approach.The requirement to detect trace, quantifiable amounts of DNA in large-volume biomedical samples requires advanced DNA preparation techniques using modern technologies to facilitate DNA isolation, purification and analysis by Quantitative PCR (qPCR). Thus, a key step in DNA analysis is high efficiency Nucleic Acid (NA) purification. Conventional laboratory-based magnetic bead purification involves repetitive pipetting and centrifugation. For example, depending on the starting sample, as many as seven washes may be necessary for removing the contaminants entrapped in the bead pellet, adsorbed on the walls of reaction tubes, or remaining in the solution after aspirating the supernatant [1]. As a result, without access to costly robots this process is labor intensive.

Authors and Affiliations

Hsu BN, Fair RB

Keywords

Related Articles

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Folic Acid Supplement Status in Women of Childbearing Age in Dongguan City

Objective: To understand the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of folic acid supplement status among women of childbearing age in Dongguan city so as to provide evidence for developing a strategy of health education...

The Future of Psychiatry

A mental disorder is characterized as an illness that influences an individual's mood, alters psychological management and causes cognitive disposition. In the U.S., 1 in 5 Americans experiences a mental illness in a giv...

Bioactivity of Lilium candidum L : A Mini Review

The paper deals with Lilium candidum L., a well-known ancient plant in folk medicine for the treatment of burns, ulcers, inflammations and wound healing. The petals and bulbs of this plant contain many bioactive compound...

Heart Failure Demographic and Clinical Features: The Caribbean Perspective. A Single-Center 100-Case Series Discussion and Review of the Literature

Background: Heart Failure with reduced Ejection Fraction (EF) is likely itself a heterogeneous entity within the same complex clinical syndrome. The relative contribution of various risk factors and et...

Databases Of The EGFR Variants And Target Drugs, A Mini Review

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are highly promising drugs that are well tolerated and have good antitumor activity in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with sensitive m...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP622668
  • DOI 10.26717/BJSTR.2019.19.003247
  • Views 171
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Hsu BN, Fair RB (2019). Hybrid Integrated Microfluidic Device for Sample Preparation and qPCR on an EWD Platform. Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research (BJSTR), 19(1), 14075-14085. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-622668