Detector and screening device for ion channels
AssigneeVertex Pharmaceuticals (San Diego) LLC
InventorsROGER Y. TSIEN, PETER J. COASSIN, ANDREW A. PHAM, ALEC TATE HAROOTUNIAN, MINH VUONG
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Abstract
The invention provides for a detector assembly, fiber assembly and screening system for optical measurements.
Claims62
A method of simultaneously measuring at least two optical properties of emitted light from at least one sample in a plurality of addressable wells of a multiwell plate comprising the steps of,
- iv) aligning a plurality of addressable wells of a multiwell plate to a plurality of ball lenses;
- v) directing electromagnetic radiation substantially coaxially through the symmetry axis of each of said plurality of ball lenses,
- vi) detecting the emitted light focused by said plurality of ball lenses from said at least one sample.
A device, comprising:
- i) a liquid handler comprising at least one pipetting tip, said at least one pipetting tip comprising programmable control of aspiration from a first plurality of addressable wells of a first multiwell plate and programmable control of dispensation into a second plurality of addressable wells of a second multiwell plate,
- ii) an optical detector module comprising at least one detector, said at least one detector being in optical connection to said second plurality of addressable wells of said second multiwell plate and, said detector module simultaneously detecting at least two optical properties from each well of said second plurality of addressable wells of said second multiwell plate,
- iii) a programmable moving conveying surface to align said first multiwell plate and said second multiwell plate to said liquid handler, and said detector module, and to move said first multiwell plate and said second multiwell plate into and out of said device,
- iv) a data processing and control module for coordinating the operation of said automatic measuring device,
- wherein said data processing and control module coordinates said programmable moving conveying surface to move said second plurality of addressable wells of said second multiwell plate to said liquid handler,
- wherein said liquid handler simultaneously dispenses into said second addressable wells of said second multiwell plate and said detector module simultaneously measures at least two optical properties from each well of said second plurality of addressable wells of said second multiwell plate,
- and wherein, said data processing and control module collects data from said detector module.
A device, comprising:
- i) an optical detector module comprising at least one detector, said at least one detector being in optical connection to a plurality of addressable wells of a multiwell plate and, said detector module simultaneously detecting at any instant, at least two optical properties from each well of said plurality of addressable wells of said multiwell plate,
- ii) a optical irradiation module comprising at least one light source, wherein said at least one light source irradiates said plurality of addressable wells of said multiwell plate,
- iii) a programmable moving conveying surface to align said plurality of addressable wells of said multiwell plate to said detector module, and to move said plurality of addressable wells of said multiwell plate into and out of said device,
- iv) an integration and control module for coordinating the operation of said automatic measuring device,
- wherein said data processing and control module coordinates said programmable moving conveying surface to move said plurality of addressable wells of said multiwell plate to said detector module,
- wherein said detector module simultaneously detects at least two optical properties from each well of said second plurality of addressable wells of said second multiwell plate and,
- wherein said data processing and control module collects data from said detector module.
An optical assembly, comprising a ball lens and a trifurcated fiber adapted for dual optical interrogation and in optical communication with said ball lens.
An optical detection system, comprising:
- a) a light source that launches at least one predetermined wavelength of light,
- b) sample holder,
- c) a ball lens at a predetermined interrogation distance from said sample holder,
- d) a trifurcated fiber adapted for dual optical interrogation and in optical communication with said ball lens, and
- e) a detector that detects light of at least one desired wavelength and in optical communication with said ball lens.
An optical fiber assembly, comprising a trifurcated fiber comprising a first plurality of emission bundles for receiving light of a first wavelength and second plurality of emission bundles for receiving light of a second wavelength and said first plurality of emission bundles and said second plurality of emission bundles are non-randomly distributed in plurality of excitation bundles.
A method of identifying a useful chemical, comprising interrogating a sample comprising a chemical of interest with one of the above claimed devices, and detecting the activity of said chemical from optical signals from said device.
A method of development for a therapeutic, comprising interrogating a sample comprising a chemical with of interest one of the above claimed devices, detecting the activity of said chemical from optical signals from said device, administering said chemical or a chemical derived from the structure or activity of said chemical to a cell, invertebrate or mammal, assessing a therapeutic effect of said administering and optionally adding a suitable pharmaceutical carrier to said chemical for administration into a vertebrate or human.
A chemical identified by a process of detecting optical signals from one of the above claimed devices, wherein said chemical is in a sample interrogated by said device.
A pharmaceutical composition, comprising a pharmaceutical acceptable carrier and a chemical identified by detecting optical signals from one of the above claimed devices, wherein said chemical is in a sample interrogated by said device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.