Patent ID: 8968678
Filing Date: 2015-03-03
Classification: B01L,B33Y,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for introducing an analyte of interest in a sample to a microfluidic device, comprising: providing an aqueous sample in a large volume reservoir comprising a first microelectrode operably attached thereto, said sample containing the analyte and having a volume of greater than or equal to 1 microliter, wherein the analyte of interest is charged or has been associated with a charged molecule; electrophoresing the analyte via a connector from the large volume reservoir to a staging reservoir positioned in a microfluidic device, wherein the connector fluidically connects the large volume reservoir and the staging reservoir, and wherein the microfluidic device comprises an analysis area, a second microelectrode located in the staging reservoir and a third microelectrode located in or distal to at least a portion of the analysis area, said microelectrodes being configured such that an electric field may be generated between the electrodes and a charged analyte electrophoresed from the first microelectrode to the second microelectrode and from the second microelectrode to the third microelectrode; and transporting the analyte to the analysis area for a time sufficient to result in a higher concentration of analyte in the analysis area than in the sample.