Centrifugal force based microfluidic system and method for the automated analysis of samples

摘要

The present invention pertains to a centrifugal force based microfluidic system for the automated analysis of fluids involving the use of magnetically responsive particles comprising: a rotatable supporting device; at least one microfluidic device fixed to said supporting device so as to rotate therewith and provided with at least one microfluidic structure having at least one inlet zone, at least one reaction chamber in fluid communication with said inlet zone comprising at least one retention zone adapted for the retention of said magnetically responsive particles; at least one magnet fixed to said supporting device in correspondence to said at least one retention zone so as to rotate therewith for generating a magnetic field adapted for magnetically manipulating said magnetically responsive particles contained in said at least one reaction chamber. It further relates to a method for the automated analysis of a fluid comprising the steps of: providing a microfluidic system comprising a rotatable supporting device and at least one microfluidic device fixed to said supporting device so as to rotate therewith, said microfluidic device having at least one microfluidic structure comprising at least one reaction chamber including at least one retention zone for retaining magnetically responsive particles; introducing said sample into said reaction chamber; introducing magnetically responsive particles that are provided with molecular binding elements adapted for specifically binding to an analyte which may be contained in said sample into said reaction chamber; and applying a magnetic field to said retention zone adapted to magnetically manipulate said magnetically responsive particles.