Integrated microchip genetic testing system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is a miniaturized thermal cycling device and an integrated, unitary microchip based detection device with microfluidic controls, on chip electronics.
Further, the present invention uses dipped or coated polymeric materials on processed silicon as a means to facilitate amplification chemistry.
The invention relates to fabrication, assemblage and general application and operation of an integrated microchip genetic testing system.
The components of the invention include the silicon based substrate(s) onto which is fabricated a thermocycling resistive heater and thermosensing element, a nucleic acid detection sensor based on a piezoelectrically actuated and sensing microcantilever device, the on wafer electronic circuitry to amplify the output signal from the detection sensor, the interposed microfluidic chambers and interconnecting capillaries, the integration of these components through means of microfabrication based processes, the operation of the assembled device involving the dispensing of nucleic acid sample and biochemical reactants into the chip based system and functioning of the system through an accompanied software module with "smart readout" display.
The invention further relates to the unique compilation of molecular genetic testing hardware and systemic approach toward diagnostic and research based genetic testing algorithms.
The present invention is a MEMS-based device which employs transduction of a mechanical based signal to an electronic readout.
The complete genetic testing system of two MEMS-based microchips and complementary integrated charge signal amplifier circuit fabricated onto a single silicon wafer and encapsulated in a platform comprising two reservoirs in which the respective operations of nucleic amplification based thermal cycling and detection of the amplification products is achieved.
The system is packaged such that the silicon wafers are bonded in apposition, one of which contains the nucleic acid amplifier, the microcantilever detector and the IC preamplifier, and the second, only a nucleic acid amplifier chip