Automated system for isolating, amplifying and detecting a target nucleic acid sequence
OwnerTimothy R. Hansen, Matthew P. Collis +2inventors
InventorsTimothy R. Hansen, Matthew P. Collis, Bradley S. Thomas, Thomas L. Fort
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Abstract
A system and method for preparing and testing of targeted nucleic acids is presented. The system integrates a pipetter, extractor, assay reader, and other components, including a selectively compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA). This synergistic integration of previously separate diagnostic tools creates a system and method whereby a minimum of human intervention is required. The resulting system provides a substantially more accurate and precise method of isolating, amplifying and detecting targeted nucleic acids for diagnosing diseases.
Claims31
An automated system for processing a component of interest contained in at least one sample, comprising:
- an extraction device, adapted to extract said component of interest from the sample;
- a detection device, adapted to detect for the presence of said component of interest extracted by said extraction device;
- and
- a robot, adapted to automatically transfer said extracted component of interest from said extraction device to said detection device, wherein, said robot includes a selectively compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA).
An automated system for extracting nucleic acid from a sample, comprising:
- a selectively compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA);
- and
- an extractor adapted to extract the nucleic acid from the sample,
- wherein said SCARA is adapted to move the sample from a container to said extractor.
An automated system for extracting a target nucleic acid from a sample, comprising:
- an extractor, adapted to perform non-specific capture of the target nucleic acid, to extract the nucleic acid from the sample without separating the target nucleic acid from non-target nucleic acid that may exist in the sample;
- an amplifier, adapted to amplify said extracted nucleic acid;
- and
- an articulated robot, adapted to automatically convey said extracted nucleic acid to the amplifier.
A method for processing a component of interest contained in a sample, comprising:
- operating an extraction device to extract said component of interest from the sample;
- operating a detector to detect for the presence of said component of interest extracted by said extraction device;
- and
- automatically transferring said extracted component of interest from said extraction device to said detection device, wherein said automatically transferring includes operating a selectively compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA) to perform said transferring.
A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:
- said amplifying includes heating said nucleic acid.
A method for automatically extracting nucleic acid from a sample, comprising:
- operating a selectively compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA);
- and
- extracting the nucleic acid from the sample with an extractor, wherein the operation of operating said SCARA comprises moving the sample from a container to said extractor.
A method for automatically extracting a target nucleic acid from a sample, comprising:
- operating an extractor to perform non-specific capture on the target nucleic acid to extract the nucleic acid from the sample without separating the target nucleic acid from non-target nucleic acid that may exist in the sample;
- operating an amplifier to amplify said extracted nucleic acid;
- and
- automatically transferring said extracted nucleic acid from said extractor to the amplifier using a selectively compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA) to perform said transferring.
An automated process for isolating and amplifying a target nucleic acid sequence that may be present in a sample, said process comprising:
- automatically separating the target sequence from the fluid sample at a separation station by performing non-specific binding on the target sequence without the need to separate the target sequence from any non-target sequence that may exist in the sample;
- and
- automatically transporting the separated target sequence from the separation station to an amplifying incubation station using a selectively compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.