Molecular analysis system and use thereof

Abstract

A molecular testing device comprises a heating and cooling module having a thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling device, and a removable test module having a combined amplification and hybridization reaction chamber. The reaction chamber comprises a thermo-conductive exterior surface and a microarray on an interior surface. The thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling device has a heat transfer surface that is adapted to make contact with the thermo-conductive exterior surface of the reaction chamber. The molecular testing device may be used to perform a PCR in the reaction chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A molecular testing device, comprising:
 a heating and cooling module comprising a thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling device; and   a removable test module comprising a combined amplification and hybridization reaction chamber comprising a thermo-conductive exterior surface and a microarray on an interior surface;   wherein said thermoelectric heating and cooling device comprises a heat transfer surface that is adapted to make contact with said thermo-conductive exterior surface of said reaction chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The molecular testing device of  claim 1 , wherein said thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling device is a Peltier device. 
     
     
         3 . The molecular testing device of  claim 2 , wherein said Peltier device is a ceramic Peltier device. 
     
     
         4 . The molecular testing device of  claim 1 , wherein said thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling device comprises a thin-film semiconductor comprising bismuth antimony, bismuth telluride, lead telluride or silicon germanium. 
     
     
         5 . The molecular testing device of  claim 4 , wherein said thin-film semiconductor comprises bismuth telluride. 
     
     
         6 . The molecular testing device of  claim 1 , wherein the thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling device is a thermoelectric couple made of p and n type semiconductors. 
     
     
         7 . The molecular testing device of  claim 6 , wherein the p and n type semiconductors are selected from the group consisting of bismuth antimony, bismuth telluride, lead telluride, and silicon germanium. 
     
     
         8 . The molecular testing device of  claim 1 , wherein the microarray is a gel spot microarray. 
     
     
         9 . The molecular testing device of  claim 1 , wherein said reaction chamber further comprises an exterior surface that is insulated with a thermal insulation material. 
     
     
         10 . The molecular testing device of  claim 1 , wherein said removable test module further comprises a waste chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The molecular testing device of  claim 1 , wherein said removable test module comprises a plurality of combined amplification and hybridization reaction chambers, wherein each chamber comprises a thermo-conductive exterior surface, and wherein said heating and cooling module comprises a plurality of thermoelectric heating and cooling device, wherein each of said plurality of thermoelectric heating and cooling device comprises a heat transfer surface adapted to make contact with a thermo-conductive exterior surface of an amplification and hybridization reaction chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The molecular testing device of  claim 1 , wherein said heating and cooling module further comprises a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The molecular testing device of  claim 12 , wherein said temperature sensor comprises a thermistor or resistance thermal device. 
     
     
         14 . A device for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), comprising:
 a heating and cooling module comprising a thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling device comprising a heat transfer surface;   a holder for receiving a removable test module comprising a reaction chamber having a thermo-conductive exterior surface;   a moving system that brings said heat transfer surface in contact with said thermo-conductive exterior surface when said test module is placed in said holder; and   a programmable control module that regulates temperature of said heat transfer surface.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein said thermoelectric device is a Peltier device. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein said thermoelectric heating and cooling device comprises a thin-film semiconductor and a heat sink. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein said heating and cooling module further comprises a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein said temperature sensor comprises a thermistor or resistance thermal device. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein said heating and cooling module comprises a plurality of thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling devices each comprising a heat transfer surface, wherein said removable test module comprises a plurality of reaction chambers each having a thermo-conductive exterior surface, wherein said programmable control module is capable of regulating temperature of each of said heat transfer surface individually in order to perform PCR under different conditions in each reaction chamber. 
     
     
         20 . A method for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on a microarray in a reaction chamber, comprising:
 (a) placing a test module comprising a reaction chamber into a PCR device,   wherein said reaction chamber comprises a thermo-conductive exterior surface and a microarray mounted on an interior surface, and wherein said PCR device comprises a heating and cooling module comprising a thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling device with a heat transfer surface, and a programmable control module that regulates temperature of said heat transfer surface;   (b) bringing said heat transfer surface of said thin-film thermoelectric heating and cooling device into contact with said thermo-conductive exterior surface of said reaction chamber; and   (c) completing a PCR by heating and cooling said reaction chamber through said heat transfer surface based on a PCR program stored in said control module.