Microfluidic Systems granted U.S. patent for automated microfluidic DNA separation cartridge

Mar 30 2009

Microfluidic Systems, a privately-held company, announced today that they were granted U.S. patent number 7,491,527 for an automated microfluidic DNA separation cartridge.

This microfluidic cartridge technology was developed specifically to automate the separation of male and female human DNA from forensic samples specifically related to rape cases. In determining the identity of a rape perpetrator, it is imperative that the DNA from the victim and perpetrator be separated prior to analysis such as with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and/or DNA sequencing. Currently, the laboratory procedure to perform this tedious DNA processing technique, referred to differential extraction, involves numerous laboratory-based, labor-intensive techniques that are subject to contamination and human error. The benefit of implementing this process into an automated, closed, and disposable device are apparent and will help expedite the processing of the large backlog of rape identification cases throughout the world.

"We are very excited about the issuance of this fundamental microfluidic cartridge device patent," commented Dr. M. Allen Northrup, MFSI President and CEO. "This technology and similar technologies that MFSI is developing for automated pathogen processing and detection should go a long way toward extending powerful molecular biology techniques into the field."