System for finding the detection zone or position of separation channels in an electrophoresis system and method

H:Mzs\lnenvoen\NRPortbI\DCC\TZS\5997135 1 .doc-4/02/2014 A system for finding the detection zone in an electrophoresis system comprising an electrophoretic chip and an instrument capable of separating and detecting of DNA fragments labeled with at least one fluorescent dye comprising: (a) a removable electrophoresis chip comprising: a substrate having top and bottom surfaces, further comprising an anode portion, a cathode portion, and a separation channel between the anode and cathode portions, and having top and bottom surfaces such that the top surface of said substrate layer is bonded with the bottom surface of said cover layer to form at least one microfluidic channel, a first via located at said anode and in fluidic communication with at least one of the microfluidic channels, a second via located at said cathode and in fluidic communication with at least one of the microfluidic channels, a detection zone located in the separation channel; and (b) an electrophoresis instrument capable of receiving said chip, comprising, (i) a processor, (ii) an optical system, said optical system comprising said fluorescence excitation energy beam and at least one light detector, and (iii) an electrical system for delivering said beam to said detection zone, and having an anode and a cathode, said anode in contact with said anode portion of said substrate, and said cathode in contact with said cathode portion of said substrate, and whereby the processor directs the beam through the detection zone, and changes in fluorescence are detected by the light detector to find and store the position of the separation channel, so that when said electrical system delivers a voltage from said cathode to said anode, moving said labeled DNA fragments from said cathode portion into said separation channel within the detection zone; said processor uses said position to measure fluorescent signal using said light detector.