METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROCESSING TISSUES AND CELLS

• Main Authors: Duarte, David, Widgerow, Alan, Haun, Jered, Stovner, Justin, Salas, Hugo, Banyard, Derek, Zobi, Ahmed
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.03.2022
• Subjects: CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL ORCHEMICAL PROCESSES; CENTRIFUGES; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

Provided herein are devices and methods of processing a sample that include, in several embodiments, rotating one or more microfluidic chips that are mounted on a support plate using a motor driven rotational chuck. By spinning one or more of the microfluidic chips about a common center of rotation in a controlled manner, high flow rates (and high shear forces) are imparted to the sample in a controlled manner. Each microfluidic chip can be rotated 180° on the support plate so that the sample can be run back-and-forth through the microfluidic devices. Because the support plate can be driven at relatively high RPMs, high flow rates are generated within the microfluidic chips. This increases the shear forces on the sample and also decreases the processing time involved as the sample can quickly pass through the shear-inducing features of the microfluidic chip(s).