Biological sample transfer and rearrangement method

A method for the rearrangement and transfer of N separate biological samples from N separate first locations arranged in an irregular pattern to M separate second locations arranged in a regular pattern on a transfer device, said transfer device comprising at least M adhesive transfer areas, wherein the at least M adhesive transfer areas are formed of at least a sheet of a flexible sheet material, and wherein N≥2 and N≥M, comprising the steps of, in this order:

• a. positioning an adhesive transfer area of the at least M adhesive transfer areas such as to bring the adhesive transfer area into overlap, in the vertical direction, with a separate biological sample of the N separate biological samples in its first location and optionally decreasing the distance, in vertical direction, between the first location of the separate biological sample and the adhesive transfer area, before or after the aforementioned positioning step,
• b. extending the flexible sheet material of the adhesive transfer area of the at least M adhesive transfer areas such as to bring the flexible sheet material of the adhesive transfer area of the M adhesive transfer areas into contact with the separate biological sample of the N separate biological samples at its first location and such as to adhere the separate biological sample of the N separate biological samples to the flexible sheet material of the adhesive transfer area of the M adhesive transfer areas,
• c. retracting the flexible sheet material of the adhesive transfer area of the at least M adhesive transfer areas to remove the separate biological sample of the N separate biological samples from its first location and to transfer the separate biological sample of the N separate biological samples to its second location, and optionally increasing the distance, in vertical direction, between the first location of the separate biological sample and the second location of the separate biological sample on the adhesive transfer area, after the aforementioned retracting step,
• d. repeating steps a. to c. individually for each of the remaining separate biological samples of the N separate biological samples such as to remove each of the remaining separate biological samples of the N separate biological samples from its first location and to transfer each of the remaining separate biological samples of the N separate biological samples to its second location,
• wherein the flexible sheet material is optically transparent at least within the visible spectrum (VIS),
• wherein extending the flexible sheet material of the one adhesive transfer area of the M adhesive transfer areas is achieved by applying mechanical pressure using a plunger, which plunger comprises an optically transparent material.