Method and apparatus for automated pre-treatment and processing of biological samples

A method of processing of a plurality of biological samples on sample carriers having respective identifications, the processing of each sample being conducted according to a respective sequence of protocol steps, comprising the steps of:

• providing an apparatus comprising:
• a frame;
• a robotic reagent dispensing head within the frame that performs ongoing robotic processing, including dispensing of reagents;
• and
• a plurality of drawers within the frame, each drawer comprising a respective carrier rack for supporting at least one carrier;
• and
• inserting a first carrier having a first biological sample onto a carrier rack of a first drawer;
• inserting a second carrier having a second biological sample onto a carrier rack of a second drawer;
• determining the first-completed sample, being whichever one of the first biological sample and the second biological sample whose processing is completed prior to the completion of the processing of the other biological sample;
• removing the first-completed sample from the apparatus without interrupting the dispensing of reagents onto the other biological sample.

A method of processing of a plurality of biological samples on sample carriers having respective identifications, the processing of each sample being conducted according to a respective sequence of protocol steps, comprising the steps of:

• providing an apparatus comprising:
• a frame;
• a robotic reagent dispensing head within the frame that performs ongoing robotic processing, including dispensing of reagents;
• and
• a plurality of drawers within the frame, each drawer comprising a respective carrier rack for supporting at least one carrier;
• and
• inserting a first carrier having a first biological sample onto a carrier rack of a first drawer;
• commencing the processing of the first biological sample;
• inserting a second carrier having a second biological sample onto a carrier rack of a second drawer without interrupting the dispensing of reagents onto the first biological sample with the robotic reagent dispensing head;
• removing the first carrier from the carrier rack of the first drawer without interrupting the ongoing robotic processing of the second biological sample;
• and
• commencing the processing of the second biological sample, prior to completion of the processing of the first biological sample, without interrupting the processing of the first biological sample.