US 11,703,428 B2Granted

Automated microdissection instrument and method for processing a biological sample

AssigneeLife Technologies Corporation

InventorsThomas M. Baer, Michael G. Youngquist, Brian W. Donovan, Alan E. Wessel, Norbert H. Leclerc, Michael A. Smith, Craig S. Barker, George M. Dawson

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Abstract

Systems and methods for automated laser microdissection are disclosed including automatic slide detection, position detection of cutting and capture lasers, focus optimization for cutting and capture lasers, energy and duration optimization for cutting and capture lasers, inspection and second phase capture and/or ablation in a quality control station and tracking information for linking substrate carrier or output microdissected regions with input sample or slide.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for processing a biological sample using a laser microdissection instrument, comprising:

calibrating a capture laser to determine an optimal setting for wetting a transfer film mounted on a cap, said calibration comprising:
firing the capture laser at a selected test fire location on the cap;
recording intensity data of a test image at the selected test fire location;
and
determining whether wetting of the transfer film at the selected location is optimal based on detecting a maximum intensity difference between adjacent pixels;
bringing the transfer film into juxtaposition with a targeted portion of biological material on a substrate;
directing the capture laser to fire at the targeted portion of biological material to form an area of adhesion between a wetted portion of the transfer film and the targeted portion of biological material;
and
moving the cap away from the substrate, thereby removing the targeted portion of biological material with the cap.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/516,605Filed 1 Nov 2021 · continuation
Priority: 25 Sep 2004
Published: US 2022/0113229 A114 Apr 2022
Granted: 18 Jul 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G01N 1/2813
Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q: producing thin…
G01B 11/002
Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques: for measuring two or more coordinates
G01N 2001/282
Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on: with mapping; Identification of areas; Spatial correlated pattern
G01N 2001/284
Collecting samples on a sticky, tacky, adhesive surface: using local activation of adhesive, i.e. Laser Capture Microdissection

Family

Application60/613,038Us provisional application · filed 25 Sep 2004
Application60/664,438Us provisional application · filed 23 Mar 2005
Application11/236,045Parent of this division · filed 26 Sep 2005
Application14/275,812Parent of this division · filed 12 May 2014
US 8,722,357 B2Parent of this division · filed 13 May 2014
Application15/434,200Parent of this division · filed 16 Feb 2017
Application16/208,557Parent of this division · filed 3 Dec 2018
US 10,156,501 B2Parent of this division · filed 18 Dec 2018
Application16/790,595Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Feb 2020
US 10,605,706 B2Parent of this division · filed 31 Mar 2020
US 2022/0113229 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Apr 2022
US 11,175,203 B2Parent of this continuation
Application16/790,595Parent of this division
US 2006/0139621 A1Published application
US 2014/0335560 A1Published application
US 2017/0284907 A1Published application
US 2019/0120734 A1Published application
US 2020/0284702 A1Published application
US 11,703,428 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.