Random array of micro-spheres for the analysis of nucleic acids

A method of identifying nucleic acid samples comprising:

• providing a microarray including a substrate coated with a composition including a population of micro-spheres immobilized at random positions on the substrate, at least one sub-population of said population of micro-spheres containing an optical bar generated from at least one colorant associated with the micro-spheres, having one of a luminescent or fluorescent property and including a nucleic acid probe sequence;
• contracting said array with a target nucleic acid sequence;
• and
• detecting the color bar code of said sub-population of micro-spheres due to the interaction of said probe nucleic acid sequence and said target nucleic acid sequence by;
• (a) whole frame imaging of the luminescent or fluorescent image resulting from said interaction to produce a first image;
• (b) whole frame imaging capture of said microarray under bright field illumination to obtain microsphere color signature/barcode image to produce a second image;
• and
• (c) processing said first and second images to obtain identification of said identification of said nucleic acid sample.