Apparatus for conducting continuous interleaved assaying in a multi-well plate
AssigneeMeso Scale Technologies, LLC.
InventorsCharles M. Clinton, Eli N. Glezer, Sharon West, George Sigal, Carl Stevens, Michael L. Vock
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Abstract
We describe apparatuses, systems, method, reagents, and kits for conducting assays as well as process for their preparation. They are particularly well suited for conducting automated sampling, sample preparation, and analysis in a multi-well plate assay format. For example, they may be used for automated analysis of particulates in air and/or liquid samples derived therefrom in environmental monitoring.
Claims15
An apparatus for conducting luminescence assays in a multi-well plate, the apparatus comprising:
- a light detection subsystem comprising a light detector;
- a liquid handling subsystem comprising a pipetting system for delivering liquids to or removing liquids from wells of the multi-well plate;
- a plate handling subsystem comprising one or more plate elevators for moving the multi-well plate;
- and
- a computer configured to control said apparatus to process assay samples in different wells of the multi-well plate by a continuous interleaved process,
- wherein the computer is configured, during the continuous interleaved process, to control the apparatus to a) add a first sample to a first well, b) incubate contents of the first well, and c) add a reagent to the first well, and to perform a repetition of steps a), b), and c) in a second well, the computer configured to control the apparatus to perform said repetition of step a) after the sample is added to the first well in step a) and before the contents of the first well have completed incubation in step b),
- wherein the computer is configured to control a plate holder during incubation of contents of the first well or the second well to shake the multi-well plate continuously unless a pipetting probe of the apparatus is accessing a well of the multi-well plate or an electrochemiluminescence signal is being measured.
An apparatus for conducting luminescence assays in a multi-well assay plate, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a light detection subsystem comprising a light detector;
- (b) a liquid handling subsystem comprising a pipetting system for delivering liquids to or removing liquids from wells of the multi-well assay plate;
- (c) a plate handling subsystem comprising one or more plate elevators for moving the multi-well assay plate;
- and
- (d) a computer configured to control said apparatus to process assay samples by a continuous interleaved process comprising:
- (i) adding sample to an individual well of the multi-well assay plate;
- (ii) incubating said sample in said individual well;
- (iii) adding reagent to said individual well such that, in said continuous interleaved process, steps (i)-(iii) are carried out on a first well of a plurality of wells of the multi-well assay plate, steps (i)-(iii) are repeated on another at least two wells of said plurality of wells after at least step (i) is completed on said first well, and at least step (i) is completed on said another at least two wells of said plurality of wells before step (ii) is completed on said first well;
- (iv) tracking, via a software scheduler of the apparatus, status of steps (i)-(iii) for said individual well and said another at least two wells;
- and
- (v) comparing an assay signal from said individual well to a pre-defined threshold and repeating steps (i)-(iv) if said assay signal differs from said threshold,
- wherein the computer is configured to control a plate holder during incubation of samples in the first well or the another at least two wells to shake the multi-well assay plate continuously unless a pipetting probe of the apparatus is accessing a well of the multi-well assay plate or an electrochemiluminescence signal is being measured.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.