Automated biological sample archive for storage, retrieval and analysis of large numbers of samples for remote clients

A method executed on hardware for providing samples to a remote client, said method comprising:

• maintaining a sample archive comprising a plurality of sample structures maintained in a predetermined spatial relationship within one or more sample carriers and a plurality of discrete sample nodes, wherein each of said plurality of discrete sample nodes comprises a sample support medium constructed and operative to contain a discrete biological sample in desiccated form for long-term storage, and wherein each of said plurality of discrete sample nodes is removably attached to one of said plurality of sample structures at a corresponding attachment point;
• for each of said plurality of discrete sample nodes,
• selecting a sample for storage at said discrete sample node, and
• discretely transferring said selected sample to said discrete sample node;
• receiving a request for a desired sample from a remote client;
• responsive to said receiving, identifying a discrete sample node in said archive carrying said desired sample;
• retrieving said identified discrete sample node from said archive, wherein said retrieving includes releasing said identified discrete sample node from said corresponding attachment point;
• and
• shipping said retrieved discrete sample node to said remote client.

A method executed on hardware for providing biological analyses to a remote client, said method comprising:

• providing a plurality of discrete sample nodes each configured to receive a discrete sample and removably attached at a corresponding attachment point in a predetermined spatial relationship with other discrete sample nodes on a sample structure, wherein each of said plurality of discrete samples nodes comprises a sample support medium constructed and operative to contain a biological sample in desiccated form for long-term storage;
• transferring a sample to each of said plurality of discrete sample nodes independently of sample transfers to the other discrete sample nodes wherein the corresponding attachment point of each discrete sample node is maintained free of sample material;
• maintaining said plurality of discrete sample nodes in a sample archive;
• receiving a request for a biological analysis from a remote client, said request comprising identification of a desired one of said plurality of discrete sample nodes and identification of a selected assay;
• responsive to said receiving, retrieving said desired discrete sample node from said archive and preparing said selected assay;
• and
• performing said selected assay for said desired discrete sample node.

A hardware system comprising:

• a sample archive including a plurality of sample structures maintained in a predetermined spatial relationship within a sample carrier, each sample structure having an attachment point for removably attaching a corresponding discrete sample node, and a plurality of discrete sample nodes, wherein each of said plurality of discrete sample nodes comprises a sample support medium constructed and operative to contain a biological sample in desiccated form for long-term storage;
• means for selectively and discretely transferring a sample to each of said plurality of discrete sample nodes;
• a database containing data records associated with samples stored in said archive, wherein each sample is discretely carried in a respective one of said plurality of discrete sample nodes in said archive;
• means for receiving a request from a remote client, said request containing information related to selected ones of said samples;
• a processor responsive to said means for receiving and operative to retrieve from said database data records associated with said selected ones of said samples;
• a sample retrieval apparatus responsive to said processor and operative to retrieve said selected ones of said samples;
• a sample preparation apparatus responsive to said processor and operative to prepare said selected ones of said samples for analysis;
• and
• means for packaging said selected ones of said samples for shipping to said remote client;
• wherein said sample retrieval apparatus, said sample preparation apparatus, and said means for packaging are operative at a rate sufficient to retrieve, to prepare, and to package in excess of 100 samples per day.

A method encoded by a computer program product embodied on a hardware computer-readable medium, said method comprising:

• receiving a request from a remote client for performing a selected analysis of a selected sample node maintained on a sample carrier in a sample archive, wherein said sample carrier includes a plurality of sample structures, each sample structure having one or more attachment points, and a plurality of sample nodes, each of said plurality of sample nodes being removably attached to said sample carrier at a corresponding one of said attachment points, and each of said plurality of sample nodes comprises a sample support medium constructed and operative to contain a discrete biological sample in desiccated form for long-term storage and carrying a discrete sample, said discrete sample having been individually applied to each of said plurality of sample nodes;
• retrieving data records associated with said selected sample node and said selected analysis from a database;
• retrieving said selected sample node from said sample carrier;
• preparing an assay in accordance with said selected analysis;
• and
• conducting said selected analysis of a sample carried on said selected sample node
• wherein said plurality of sample structures is maintained in a predetermined spatial relationship with one another, providing separation of said plurality of sample nodes.