Method and apparatus for automated sample preparation
AssigneeLife Technologies Corporation
InventorsKristopher Barbee, Maximilian Carpino, Ray Wheeling, Nicholas Peter Bajka
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Abstract
The present teachings provide apparatuses and methods for automated handling of samples, e.g., biological or chemical samples. The apparatuses and the methods of the present teachings allow automated performance of various sample manipulation steps without manual intervention. In a preferred embodiment, the present teachings provide apparatuses and methods for automated enrichment of templated beads produced by PCR.
Claims20
A method for automated processing of templated beads, the method comprising:
- transferring using an automated sample manipulation apparatus a sample to a sample site, wherein the sample comprises a liquid portion and a magnetic bead portion, the magnetic bead portion including complexes of magnetic enrichment beads and templated beads, wherein the templated beads are carriers of amplified sample templates;
- immobilizing the magnetic bead portion of the sample in the sample site by applying a magnetic field to the sample site by moving a magnet, thereby providing an immobilized magnetic bead portion of the sample;
- treating the immobilized magnetic bead portion of the sample with a treatment including washing, mixing, heating, stirring, or combinations thereof using the automated sample manipulation apparatus;
- and
- following treating, removing using the automated sample manipulation apparatus the liquid portion of the sample from the immobilized magnetic bead portion of the sample, the immobilized magnetic bead portion of the sample thereby remaining in the sample site.
A method for automated processing of templated beads, the method comprising:
- transferring using an automated sample manipulation apparatus a sample to a sample site, wherein the sample comprises a liquid portion and a magnetic bead portion, the magnetic bead portion including complexes of magnetic enrichment beads and templated beads, wherein the templated beads are carriers of amplified sample templates;
- immobilizing the magnetic bead portion of the sample in the sample site by applying a magnetic field to the sample site by moving a magnet, thereby providing an immobilized magnetic bead portion of the sample;
- treating the immobilized magnetic bead portion of the sample with a treatment including washing, mixing, heating, stirring, or combinations thereof using the automated sample manipulation apparatus;
- and
- following treating, breaking the complexes into separate magnetic enrichment beads and a template beads, applying a magnetic field to immobilized the separate magnetic enrichment beads by moving the magnet, and removing the templated beads using the automated sample manipulation apparatus, the immobilized magnetic enrichment beads of the sample thereby remaining in the sample site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.