Jian Gong, Age 43544 Foothill Rd, Bridgewater, NJ 08807

2020017, Jun 4, 2020

Oct 23, 2019

16/661310

- Emeryville CA, US
Magali Soumillon - Boston MA, US
Shao Ning Pei - Albany CA, US
Samira A. Nedungadi - Berkeley CA, US
Volker L.S. Kurz - Oakland CA, US
Jian Gong - Danville CA, US
Yara X. Mejia Gonzalez - Berkeley CA, US
Mckenzi S. Toh - Oakland CA, US
Brian A. Rabkin - Redwood City CA, US
Jason C. Briggs - Pleasanton CA, US

Berkeley Lights, Inc. - Emeryville CA

B01L 3/00
B01L 7/00
B03C 5/00
B03C 5/02

Microfluidic devices having an electrowetting configuration and an optimized droplet actuation surface are provided for processing biological cells, e.g., for use in nucleic acid library preparation and/or synthesis (including amplification). The devices include a dielectric layer, a hydrophobic layer covalently bonded to the dielectric layer, and a first electrode. Methods of nucleic acid library preparation and/or synthesis can involve providing reagents to cells or nucleic acids by merging appropriate droplets on a droplet actuation surface within a water-immiscible organic liquid and can be performed in the presence of appropriate surfactants. The hydrophobic layer features self-associating molecules covalently bonded to a surface of the dielectric layer in a manner that produces a densely-packed monolayer that resists intercalation and or penetration by polar molecules or species. Also provided are systems for temperature control of the microfluidic device during nucleic acid library preparation and/or synthesis which can reduce temperature overshooting during heating and cooling steps.