Customizable instrument

A method of optically analyzing a patient sample for a plurality of allergens, the method comprising:

• selecting a combination of two or more capture reagents from a plurality of selectable capture reagents;
• adding each capture reagent of the combination of two or more capture reagents to a container containing paramagnetic particles;
• binding the combination of two or more capture reagents to the paramagnetic particles;
• binding analyte molecules from the patient sample to the combination of two or more capture reagents;
• and
• optically analyzing the bound analyte molecules from the patient sample.

A system for optically analyzing a patient sample for a plurality of allergens, the system comprising:

• a plurality of capture reagents;
• a plurality of paramagnetic particles;
• a selection module that allows a selection of a combination of two or more capture reagents from the plurality of capture reagents;
• a mixing module that (i) mixes together each capture reagent of the combination of two or more capture reagents, (ii) binds the mixture of the combination of two or more capture reagents to the paramagnetic particles, and (iii) binds analyte molecules from the patient sample to the bound mixture of the combination of two or more capture reagents;
• an analysis module that optically analyzes the bound analyte molecules from the patient sample for one or more positive or negative result;
• and
• a reporting module which reports the one or more positive or negative result determined by the analysis module.