Patent ID: 8709787

Claim:
A microfluidic cartridge comprising a microfluidic substrate layer, the microfluidic substrate layer comprising: a first reaction chamber; a second reaction chamber; a first inlet port for introducing a first sample onto the microfluidic substrate layer, the first inlet port formed in a surface of the microfluidic substrate layer and in fluid communication with the first reaction chamber; a second inlet port for introducing a second sample onto the microfluidic substrate layer, the second inlet port spaced apart from the first inlet port on the surface of the microfluidic substrate layer, the second inlet port in fluid communication with the second reaction chamber; a first outlet, in fluid communication with the first reaction chamber; a second outlet, in fluid communication with the second reaction chamber; a first set of microfluidic valves configured to isolate the first reaction chamber from the first inlet port and the first outlet; and a second set of microfluidic valves configured to isolate the second reaction chamber from the second inlet port and the second outlet independent of the isolation of the first reaction chamber by the first set of microfluidic valves, wherein the isolation effected by the first and the second set of microfluidic valves prevents movement of fluid into and out of the first and the second reaction chambers, wherein the first set of microfluidic valves comprises a first microfluidic valve spatially separated from the first inlet port and a second microfluidic valve spatially separated from the first outlet, and wherein the second set of microfluidic valves comprises a first microfluidic valve spatially separated from the second inlet port and a second microfluidic valve spatially separated from the second outlet, and wherein each of the first and second reaction chambers, the first and second inlet ports, the first and second outlets, and the first and second sets of microfluidic valves are all formed in the microfluidic substrate layer.