Patent ID: 11904314
Assignee: WAINAMICS, INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  C | IPC B  C

Claim 0:
1. A method of performing a bioassay for detecting the presence or quantity of one or more polynucleotides in a sample, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a cartridge having a planar body comprising a sample chamber, a lysis reservoir, a reagent chamber with a vent port and containing one or more assay reagents, a metering chamber with a vent port, a mixing chamber with a vent port and a detection chaniber with a vent port, wherein the mixing chamber or optionally the reagent chamber or optionally both comprise a predetermined amount of a wax, the wax having a melting temperature;
inserting a sample into the sample chamber;
releasing a lysis buffer from the lysis reservoir so that it travels to and mixes with the sample in the sample chamber;
incubating the sample in the lysis buffer for a predetermined period to release the one or more polynucleotides from the sample;
metering a quantity of lysis buffer containing released polynucleotides into the metering chamber;
forcing, by pressure from the vent port of the reagent chamber, the one or more assay reagents, and optionally a predetermined amount of the wax, to flow through the metering chamber and to push the metered quantity of lysis buffer with released polynucleotides into the mixing chamber with the one or more assay reagents;
after said forcing, heating the mixing chamber above the melting temperature of the wax to form a reaction mixture under a layer of melted wax;
mixing the one or more assay reagents with the polynucleotide in the reaction mixture by forcing air from the vent port of the reagent chamber into the reaction mixture such that the layer of melted wax prevents the formation of bubbles;
forcing the reaction mixture into the detection chamber; and
performing the bioassay that generates a signal indicating a presence or quantity of the polynucleotide.