# US 2017/0284907 A1 · Automated Microdissection Instrument

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- Number: US 2017/0284907 A1
- Document ID: US20170284907A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/434,200
- Filed: 2017-02-16
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2004-09-25
- Assignees: Life Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: Life Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Thomas M. Baer; Michael G. YOUNGQUIST; Brian W. DONOVAN; Alan E. WESSEL; Norbert H. LECLERC; Michael A. SMITH; Craig S. BARKER; George M. DAWSON
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284907A1

## CPC

- G01N 1/2813: {Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on (G01N1/30 takes precedence)}
- G01B 11/002: {for measuring two or more coordinates}
- G01N 2001/282: {with mapping; Identification of areas; Spatial correlated pattern}
- G01N 2001/284: {using local activation of adhesive, i.e. Laser Capture Microdissection}
- Y10T 156/10: Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
- Y10T 156/1054: and simultaneously bonding [e.g., cut-seaming]
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Systems and methods for automated laser microdissection are disclosed including automatic slide detection, position detection of cutting and capture lasers, focus optimization for cutting and capture lasers, energy and duration optimization for cutting and capture lasers, inspection and second phase capture and/or ablation in a quality control station and tracking information for linking substrate carrier or output microdissected regions with input sample or slide.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-17. (canceled)

### Claim 18

A method for automatically determining the location of a laser beam projection on a worksurface area of a laser microdissection instrument that is operatively coupled to a microprocessing device and a digital image acquisition system containing a digital image sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
emitting the laser beam at an intensity at a level sufficient to be detected by the digital image sensor;
detecting the light intensity of the laser beam by the digital image sensor;
determining the pixel location of the increased light intensity on the digital image sensor;
converting the pixel location of the increased light intensity on the digital image sensor to a coordinate location corresponding to the worksurface area; and
assigning the coordinate location to the location of the laser beam.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further including the step of turning off background illumination.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further including the step of moving the laser beam from the assigned coordinate location to a target location.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further including the step of increasing the intensity of the laser beam.

### Claim 22

A method for optimizing the focus of a laser beam in a laser microdissection instrument comprising the steps of:
providing a laser microdissection instrument having a worksurface;
providing a first laser source and laser focusing lens on a first side of the worksurface;
providing an objective lens and image acquisition system on a second side of the worksurface;
providing a sample on the worksurface;
focusing the objective lens on the sample for a clear image of the sample acquired by the image acquisition system;
activating the first laser source to emit a laser beam directed at the sample;
focusing the laser beam from the first laser source by moving the laser focusing lens;
re-focusing the objective lens at least once on the sample by moving the objective lens a distance;
keeping the first laser source at the desired focus by moving the focusing lens by substantially the same distance that the objective lens was moved when re-focused.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein if the objective lens is moved toward the worksurface on re-focus, the step of keeping the first laser source at the desired focus includes moving the laser focusing lens away from the worksurface and if the objective lens is moved away from the worksurface on re-focus, the step of automatically keeping the first laser source at the desired focus includes moving the laser focusing lens toward the worksurface.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 further including the step of changing the objective lens to a different objective lens.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24 further including the step of focusing the different objective lens after the step of changing the objective lens and keeping the focusing lens locked.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 further including the steps of:
automatically re-focusing the different objective lens on the sample by moving the objective lens a distance;
automatically keeping the first laser source at the desired focus by moving the focusing lens by the same distance that the different objective lens was moved when re-focused.

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein the first laser source is an IR laser.

### Claim 28

A method for laser microdissection instrument comprising the steps of:
providing a first substrate having a transfer film attached;
providing a second substrate having biological material;
introducing the second substrate with the biological material into the laser microdissection instrument;
identifying at least one targeted portion of biological material on the second substrate;
bringing the first substrate into juxtaposition with the second substrate on the side of the biological material in the location of the at least one targeted portion of biological material;
providing a first laser source;
activating the first laser source to activate at least one region of the transfer film to adhere at least one portion of biological material to the transfer film;
transferring at least one portion of biological material from the second substrate to the transfer film and first substrate; and
recording at least one tracking information associated with the first substrate.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 further outputting the at least one tracking information upon user request.

### Claim 30 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein the at least one tracking information includes information related to the historical location of the cap.

### Claim 31 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein the at least one tracking information includes information related the biological material.

### Claim 32 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein the step of recording at least one tracking information includes recording at least one tracking information associated with the first substrate linking the first substrate, the biological material, and the at least one second substrate from which the biological material was removed.

### Claim at position 17

33-38. (canceled)