Apparatus for conducting continuous interleaved assaying in a multi-well plate
AssigneeMeso Scale Technologies, LLC.
InventorsCharles M. CLINTON, Eli N. GLEZER, Sharon WEST, George SIGAL, Carl STEVENS, Michael L. VOCK
Life of this patent
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Abstract
We describe apparatuses, systems, method, reagents, and kits for conducting assays as well as process for their preparation. They are particularly well suited for conducting automated sampling, sample preparation, and analysis in a multi-well plate assay format. For example, they may be used for automated analysis of particulates in air and/or liquid samples derived therefrom in environmental monitoring.
Claims21
An apparatus for conducting assays in a multi-well assay plate, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a light detection subsystem comprising a light detector;
- (b) a liquid handling subsystem comprising a pipetting system for delivering liquids to or removing liquids from wells of the multi-well assay plate;
- (c) a plate handling subsystem comprising one or more plate elevators for moving the multi-well assay plate;
- and
- (d) a computer configured to control said apparatus to process assay samples by a continuous interleaved process, wherein the computer is configured to control a plate holder during incubation of samples in the wells to shake the multi-well assay plate continuously unless a pipetting probe of the apparatus is accessing a well of the multi-well assay plate or results from the multi-well assay plate are being measured.
An apparatus for conducting assays in a multi-well assay plate, the apparatus comprising:
- a computer configured to control said apparatus to process assay samples in different wells of the multi-well assay plate by a continuous interleaved process,
- wherein the computer is configured, during the continuous interleaved process, to control the apparatus to a) add a sample to a first well, b) incubate contents of the first well, and c) add a reagent to the first well, and to perform a repetition of steps a), b), and c) in a second well, the computer configured to control the apparatus to perform said repetition of step a) after the sample is added to the first well in step a) and before the contents of the first well have completed incubation in step b),
- wherein the computer is configured to control a plate holder during incubation of contents of the first well or the second well to shake the multi-well assay plate continuously unless a pipetting probe of the apparatus is accessing a well of the multi-well assay plate or results from the multi-well assay plate are being measured.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.