Automated Drosophila Maintenance System
Background
Drosophila spp., also known as fruit flies, are widely used in genetic research. Drosophila lines (e.g. flies with a particular mutation) can only be stored as live animals – they cannot be frozen and remain viable. So to maintain the stocks, the live flies are manually transferred from an old vial to a new vial on a regular basis (every 1-2 weeks). Some Drosophila labs maintain hundreds or even thousands of individual lines and so maintenance of these lines can be very time consuming. A UC Santa Cruz Drosophila researcher has developed a simpler and more efficient method of transferring the flies that requires significantly less hands-on work.
Technology Description
This invention involves a system of caps and tubes that can be set up in series. The caps include channels that allow larvae to move through the bottom of one tube to the bottom of another tube and adults to move from the top of one tube to the top of another tube (see illustration).
Applications
Drosophila (and other insect) laboratory studies and experimentation
Advantages
- Significantly more efficient and less time consuming compared to standard practices
- Physical separation between parent flies and progeny
- Prevents accidental release of flies
Intellectual Property Information
| Country | Type | Number | Dated | Case |
| United States Of America | Issued Patent | 12,065,670 | 08/20/2024 | 2017-265 |
| United States Of America | Published Application | 2022145245 | 05/12/2022 | 2017-265 |
| United States Of America | Published Application | 20190127688 | 05/02/2019 | 2017-265 |
Additional Patent Pending
Visual Media
Contact
- University of California, Santa Cruz Industry Alliances & Technology Commercialization
- innovation@ucsc.edu
- tel: View Phone Number.
Inventors
- Sullivan, William T.
Other Information
Keywords
Drosophila, Fruit-flies, Breeding, Drosophila Breeding, Fruit-fly Breeding, Automated System, Automated Breeding System, Inexpensive, Breeding Device
