Royston UK, company Dolomite
has announced the release of the Mitos Syringe Pump, an intelligent pump system
that enables the future development of complex and powerful microfluidic systems.
Microfluidics, a technology also known as 'lab on a chip', is an exciting
new field of science and engineering that enables very small-scale fluid control
and analysis, allowing instrument manufacturers to develop smaller, more cost-effective
and more powerful systems. With lab-on-a-chip technology, entire complex chemical
management and analysis systems are created in a microfluidic chip and interfaced
with, for example, electronic and optical detection systems. 'Lab on a chip'
technology is impacting a broad range of application areas; accelerating drug
discovery, providing better point of care systems and enabling more responsive
and portable environmental testing systems to be realised.
"There has been a lot of research and progress into the development of
microfluidic chips," said Dr Gillian Davis, Regional Sales Manager at Dolomite.
"We now have many powerful devices that are advancing such sciences as
drug discovery, forensics and environmental testing. However, the challenge
has been also to develop the necessary peripheral components that enable the
chips to work in the real world. This includes such items as connectors, chip
holders and pumping systems. Dolomite's new intelligent Mitos Syringe
Pump has been designed specifically to address the requirements of the microfluidic
community, enabling more complex and more powerful microfluidic systems to be
realised."
Key to the design of the pump is the ability to programme two 6-port valves
and two syringes to operate in a number of configurations to offer a broad range
of fluid delivery capabilities. Programmed using the simple twist and click
control knob on the front panel, or via a PC, the Mitos Syringe Pump can dispense
fluid by volume or flow rate over a time period, or the user can choose to create
an advanced flow profile. Offering a wide flow rate capability of between 0.5µl/min
to 10ml/min, the Mitos Syringe Pump will address many requirements demanded
by microfluidic systems.
"The Pump's versatility is very exciting," said Gillian. "It
can deliver, for example, up to 10 different fluids, sequentially to one input
channel of a chip, or the same fluid sequentially to 10 different input channels
or provide just one continuous smooth flow of fluid. Between that configurability
and the facility to create unique flow profiles, we are confident that the Mitos
Syringe Pump will be an important contribution to the development of future
microfluidic systems. Complex chips with multi-layer and multi-function capability,
are already starting to appear in the marketplace and we think this intelligent
approach to fluid delivery into the chip will further advance the overall potential
of microfluidics."
Dolomite is a leader in the field of microfluidics. They have previously won
£2m in funding from the UK Department of Trade and Industry's Micro and
Nano Technology (MNT) Manufacturing Initiative; this allowed Dolomite to establish
excellent microfabrication facilities that include cleanrooms, precision glass
processing facilities and applications laboratories. In addition to this, Dolomite
has managed to attract top quality engineering and scientific staff with strong
backgrounds across the broad range of disciplines required for success in bringing
microfluidics applications to the market, including chemistry, biotechnology,
control system development, electronics, physics and instrument design and supply.
Dolomite is fast becoming a global company with offices in the UK, US and Japan
and distributors throughout the rest of the world. Its clients range from universities
developing leading-edge analytical equipment, to manufacturers of chemical,
life sciences and clinical-diagnostic systems.