High-throughput screening apparatus

An automated analyser for high-throughput assay testing for the presence of a biological or biochemical substance, the analyser comprising;

• a plurality of sample process stations adapted to receive sample vessels and optionally heat inactivate samples, transfer to analysis vessels and perform one or more processing or analysis steps on the samples retained in the analysis vessels;
• said process stations comprising at least an incubation station adapted to:
• receive a plurality of analysis vessels;
• provide illumination of the analysis vessels in the incubation field;
• and
• maintain the plurality of analysis vessels at a predetermined incubation temperature or range of temperatures;
• wherein the analyser further comprises:
• an analysis vessel transfer system adapted to transfer analysis vessels between each of the process stations;
• an imaging system adapted to image the illuminated samples in the analysis vessels retained in the incubation field;
• and
• a resource controller adapted to:
• control the analysis vessel transfer system to transfer the plurality of analysis vessels to respective process stations for preparation and analysis of the biological or biochemical substance in accordance with a predetermined analysis process schedule;
• control the imaging system to optically scan the analysis vessels retained in the incubation field according to a predetermined incubation period and scan frequency;
• receive optical image information from the imaging system of the scanned analysis vessels;
• and
• instruct an image processor to process the image information;
• wherein incubation of samples is performed simultaneously with the optical imaging and analysing of the samples for the presence of the biological or biochemical substance.