Devices and methods for sample analysis
AssigneeLJL BioSystems, Inc.
InventorsDouglas N. Modlin, Amer El-Hage, John C. Owicki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Devices and methods for containing and analyzing small sample volumes that are sandwiched between solid surfaces. The devices may include an automated drive mechanism that controls the relative positions of the surfaces and an environmental-control mechanism that controls the humidity, temperature, and/or other environmental conditions around the small sample volume. In some embodiments, at least one of the surfaces has a light-transmissive window for allowing optical analysis of a sample contained between the surfaces.
Claims18
A method for modulating the number of unbound luminophores adjacent a surface during a luminescence surface assay, the method comprising:
- providing a sample holder for holding a sample, the sample holder including at least one assay surface configured for performing a luminescence surface assay;
- at least partially filling the sample holder with a fluid sample having a population of luminophores, the luminophores capable of binding to the assay surface or to a substrate adjacent the assay surface, so that the sample includes bound and unbound luminophores;
- detecting luminescence from the sample, the detected luminescence including at least a portion from bound luminophores and at least a portion from unbound luminophores;
- and
- positioning an excluder near the assay surface, so that the portion of the detected luminescence arising from the unbound luminophores may be modulated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.