Patent ID: 8492165

Claim:
A method for making microfluidic connections comprising the steps of: providing a system for making microfluidic connections, said system comprising: a base comprising a microfluidic device receiving feature fashioned to hold a microfluidic device, a movable device in communication with said base, and a sealing component, having a fluid inlet and outlet, attached to said movable device; delivering a microfluidic device to said microfluidic device receiving feature of said base, said microfluidic device having at least one fluid port; aligning said sealing component and said microfluidic device, wherein the moveable device is capable of adjustably positioning the sealing component relative to the system to access a fluid port located at any position on the microfluidic device and is capable of optical alignment, to bring said sealing component and said at least one fluid port of said microfluidic device into fluid communication; and compressing said sealing component and said at least one fluid port into contact thereby forming a microfluidic connection by creating a leak-resistant seal at the interface of said sealing component and said at least one fluid port of said microfluidic device.