Plate alignment and sample transfer indicia for a multiwell multiplate stack and method for processing biological/chemical samples using the same

A device for processing biological/chemical samples comprising:

• a first multiwell plate having x wells arranged in an array, each well of said x wells being capable of receiving a separate sample, and wherein each of said x wells has an outlet at a lower surface of the first multiwell plate;
• a second multiwell plate having y wells arranged in an array, each well of said y wells being capable of receiving a separate sample, and wherein y>x and said outlets at the lower surface of said first multiwell plate are arranged to register with corresponding inlets of x′ wells of said y wells of said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is aligned with and stacked atop said second multiwell plate, wherein x′=x;
• and
• means for aligning said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate so that said x wells of said first multiwell plate automatically align to said x′ wells of said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate using said means for aligning, whereby samples can be transferred from said x wells of said first multiwell plate to said x′ wells of said second multiwell plate,
• wherein said means for aligning comprises first alignment indicia on said first multiwell plate at a first location and corresponding second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, wherein aligning of said first alignment indicia and said second alignment indicia when stacking said first multiwell plate atop said second multiwell plate facilitates said automatic aligning of said x wells of said first multiwell plate to said x′ wells of said second multiwell plate, and
• wherein said first alignment indicia is adapted to be moved to a second location on said first multiwell plate so that a different set of x′ wells of said second multiwell plate will be aligned with said x wells of said first multiwell plate.