Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for manipulating droplets are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for manipulating droplets is provided, the apparatus including a substrate, multiple arrays of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein corresponding electrodes in each array are connected to a common electrical signal, and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate first side surface and patterned to cover the electrodes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based surface modification and washing. According to one embodiment, a method of splitting a droplet is provided, the method including providing a droplet microactuator including a droplet including one or more beads and immobilizing at least one of the one or more beads. The method further includes conducting one or more droplet operations to divide the droplet to yield a set of droplets including a droplet including the one or more immobilized beads and a droplet substantially lacking the one or more immobilized beads.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for manipulating droplets are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for manipulating droplets is provided, the apparatus including a substrate, multiple arrays of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein corresponding electrodes in each array are connected to a common electrical signal, and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate first side surface and patterned to cover the electrodes.

Abstract: Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode.

Abstract: Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the detection of cardiac markers on a droplet actuator. An aspect provides a method of assaying a cardiac marker in a biological sample from a subject, the method including providing a droplet actuator, loading the biological sample and assay reagents on the droplet actuator, executing droplet operations to create sample droplets from the sample and reagent droplets from the reagents on the droplet actuator, and executing droplet operations using the sample droplets and reagent droplets to produce a detectable signal indicative of the quantity of the cardiac marker in the biological sample. Still other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Droplet actuator devices and methods for immunoassays and washing are provided. According to one embodiment, a method of providing a droplet in contact with a surface of a super paramagnetic bead with a reduced concentration of a substance is provided and includes: (a) providing a super paramagnetic bead in contact with a droplet comprising a starting concentration and starting quantity of the substance and having a starting volume; (b) conducting one or more droplet operations to merge a wash droplet with the droplet provided in step (a) to yield a combined droplet; and (c) conducting one or more droplet operations to divide the combined droplet to yield a set of droplets. The set of droplets includes: (i) a droplet in contact with the super paramagnetic bead having a decreased concentration of the substance relative to the starting concentration; and (ii) a droplet which is separated from the super paramagnetic bead.

Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based washing. According to one embodiment, a method of providing a droplet in contact with a surface with a reduced concentration of a substance is provided, wherein the method includes: (a) providing a surface in contact with a droplet comprising a starting concentration and starting quantity of the substance and having a starting volume; (b) conducting one or more droplet operations to merge a wash droplet with the droplet provided in step (a) to yield a combined droplet; and (c) conducting one or more droplet operations to divide the combined droplet to yield a set of droplets comprising: (i) a droplet in contact with the surface having a decreased concentration of the substance relative to the starting concentration; and (ii) a droplet which is separated from the surface.

Abstract: A method of detecting a target analyte in a sample, including executing electrowetting-mediated droplet operations and thereby: combining one or more immunoassay reagent droplets comprising magnetically-responsive beads having affinity for the target analyte with one or more sample droplets potentially comprising the target analyte to yield a first combined droplet; beginning with the combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a first washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads; and combining the droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads with a droplet comprising a reporter molecule having affinity for target analyte captured on the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second combined droplet; beginning with the second combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive

Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based surface modification and washing. According to one embodiment, a method of modifying a surface on a droplet microactuator is provided, wherein the method includes executing one or more droplet operations to bring a droplet comprising a surface-modifying agent into contact with the surface. According to another embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes a sample or reagent immobilized on a surface thereof and arranged such that a droplet on the droplet microactuator may contact the surface.

Abstract: Methods for sampling a liquid flow are provided. The method includes supplying a continuous liquid flow from a continuous flow fluid input source to a surface along a first flow path. The method additionally includes sampling the continuous liquid flow by performing an electric field-based technique to split off a sample droplet from a portion of the liquid flow, whereby the sample droplet is distinct from the liquid flow and controllable independently of the liquid flow, wherein the electric field-based technique is performed by providing a set of electrodes on the surface and selectively biasing the set of electrodes, whereby the sample droplet is formed on one of the set of electrodes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based affinity assays. According to one embodiment, a method of detecting a target analyte in a sample is provided, wherein the method includes: (a) executing droplet operations to combine affinity-based assay reagents on a droplet microactuator with a sample potentially comprising the target analyte to generate a signal indicative of the presence, absence and/or quantity of analyte; and (b) detecting the signal, wherein the signal corresponds to the presence, absence and/or quantity of the analyte in the sample.

Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based pyrosequencing including a method of identifying a base at a target position in a sample nucleic acid. The method includes: (a) providing a droplet microactuator including a first droplet including a sample nucleic acid immobilized on a bead; and (b) on the droplet microactuator: (i) contacting the first droplet with one or more reagent droplets to yield a second droplet, wherein the one or more reagent droplets include reagents for extending a double stranded portion of the sample nucleic acid by incorporating a nucleotide at the target position; (ii) splitting the second droplet to yield a third droplet including the bead and a fourth droplet lacking the bead; and (iii) assaying the third droplet to determine whether the nucleotide was incorporated at the target position.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of circulating magnetically responsive beads within a droplet in a droplet actuator. The invention also provides methods for splitting droplets. The invention, in one embodiment, makes use of a droplet actuator with top and bottom substrates, a plurality of magnetic fields respectively present proximate the top and bottom substrates, wherein at least one of the magnet fields is selectively alterable, and a plurality of droplet operations electrodes positioned along at least one of the top and bottom surfaces. A droplet is positioned between the top and bottom surfaces and at least one of the magnetic fields is selectively altered.

Abstract: Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for manipulating droplets are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for manipulating droplets is provided, the apparatus including a substrate, multiple arrays of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein corresponding electrodes in each array are connected to a common electrical signal, and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate first side surface and patterned to cover the electrodes.

Abstract: Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a droplet-based affinity assay device and system. According to one embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes an antibody immobilized on a surface. According to another embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes a droplet on the droplet microactuator, the droplet comprising an antibody.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for manipulating droplets are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for manipulating droplets is provided, the apparatus including a substrate, multiple arrays of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein corresponding electrodes in each array are connected to a common electrical signal, and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate first side surface and patterned to cover the electrodes.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for manipulating droplets on a printed circuit board (PCB) are disclosed. Droplets are actuated upon a printed circuit board substrate surface by the application of electrical potentials to electrodes defined on the PCB. The use of soldermask as an electrode insulator for droplet manipulation as well techniques for adapting other traditional PCB layers and materials for droplet-based microfluidics are also disclosed.