Patent ID: 7829323

Claim:
A lysis process comprising the steps of: providing a flow of lysis solution in a first direction; providing a flow of one or more additional fluids in a direction other than the direction of the flow of the lysis solution; wherein at least one of the additional fluids comprises biological cells that produce and contain biological substances of interest including proteins, RNAs, DNAs, viruses, phages, and virus-like particles; wherein the flow of the lysis solution and at least one of the additional fluids induces turbulence and shearing forces; wherein the lysis solution and the cells are subjected to an intense shearing during a short time period of less than 10 seconds to mix the lysis solution and the cells and to lyse the cells without a permanent denaturing of the biological substances compounds of interest; wherein the biological substances compounds of interest include proteins, RNA, DNA, viruses, phages, and virus-like particles; wherein the intensity of the shearing is sufficient to cause substantially complete mixing of said fluids and has a magnitude that is at least as large as that produced when the ratio of the linear speed of the one or more additional fluids to the linear speed of the lysis solution is 100 to 15000; and passing a combined fluid that results from the lysis solution being mixed with the one or more additional fluids comprising the biological cells through a vortex reducer to reduce or suppress any rotational velocity or any toric component of the flow and to obtain a laminar flow.