Thermal cycling methods and apparatuses for carrying out efficient polymerase chain reaction (PCR) processes to amplify deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

A thermal cycler for carrying out a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) process to amplify deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the thermal cycler comprising:

• a series of blocks that each define a respective heat transfer surface, in which the series of blocks define a sequence of positions along a path, with each position defined by a respective heat transfer surface of a respective block, in which each block is associated with a respective heating system;
• a PCR reaction vessel;
• an actuator connected to the PCR reaction vessel;
• and
• a controller connected to send control signals to:
• the respective heating systems to heat the series of blocks to respective temperatures that correspond to different respective heating stages in a PCR process;
• and
• the actuator to cause the actuator to move the PCR reaction vessel along the path into and out of each respective position in the sequence of positions according to a schedule, in which, at each respective position the PCR reaction vessel is in thermal contact with the respective heat transfer surface to equilibrate a temperature of the PCR reaction vessel to a target temperature that corresponds to a respective heating stage in the PCR process;
• in which the controller is further configured to send the control signals to the respective heating systems:
• i) to, prior to the PCR reaction vessel moving into thermal contact with a respective heat transfer surface, pre-bias the respective temperature of the respective block either:
• a) below the respective target temperature if the PCR reaction vessel in use has a temperature that is higher than the respective target temperature as the PCR reaction vessel moves into the respective position;
• or
• b) above the respective target temperature if the PCR reaction vessel in use has a temperature that is lower than the respective target temperature as the PCR reaction vessel moves into the respective position;
• and
• ii) to, upon making thermal contact with the PCR reaction vessel, change the respective temperature, of the respective block whose temperature was previously pre-biased above or below the respective target temperature of the respective block, from the pre-bias temperature to be at, and thereafter maintained at, the respective target temperature, which is different than the pre-bias temperature, in which the pre-bias temperatures are calculated based on the temperature of the PCR reaction vessel as it is incoming, the respective target temperature and the relative thermal masses of the PCR reaction vessel and the respective block.