Assay apparatuses, methods and reagents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12306190-B2
Application number	US-202318545200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2023
Priority date	Dec 21, 2005
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

We describe apparatuses, systems, method, reagents, and kits for conducting assays as well as process for their preparation. They are particularly well suited for conducting automated sampling, sample preparation, and analysis in a multi-well plate assay format. For example, they may be used for automated analysis of particulates in air and/or liquid samples derived therefrom in environmental monitoring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for conducting luminescence assays in multi-well plates having wells, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a light-tight enclosure comprising:
(i) one or more plate elevators with a plate lifting platform that can be raised and lowered;
(ii) a light-tight enclosure top comprising:
one or more plate introduction apertures positioned above said one or more plate elevators;
one or more pipetting probe apertures in the light-tight enclosure top;
a piercing probe aperture in the light-tight enclosure top;
an imaging aperture in the light-tight enclosure top; and
a sliding light-tight door for sealing said plate introduction apertures,
the sliding light-tight door comprising:
a light-tight door pipetting probe aperture; and
a light-tight door piercing probe aperture; and

(iii) a plate translation stage for translating a multi-well plate in one or more horizontal directions comprising
a plate carriage for supporting the multi-well plate, said plate carriage having an opening to allow said plate elevators positioned below the plate carriage to access and lift the plate, wherein
said plate translation stage is configured to position plates below said imaging aperture and to position said multi-well plates above said plate elevators;

(b) one or more plate stackers mounted on said light-tight enclosure top, above said plate introduction apertures, wherein said plate stackers are configured to receive or deliver plates to said plate elevators;
(c) a light detector mounted on said light-tight enclosure top and coupled to said imaging aperture with a light-tight seal; and
(d) a controller programmed to:
(1) move the sliding light-tight door to a position where the sliding light-tight door unblocks said plate introduction apertures, while simultaneously blocking the piercing probe aperture in the light-tight enclosure top, the one or more pipetting probe apertures in the light-tight enclosure top, and the imaging aperture in the light-tight enclosure top;
(2) move the sliding light-tight door to a position where the sliding light-tight door unblocks said imaging aperture, the piercing probe aperture in the light-tight enclosure top, and the one or more pipetting probe apertures in the light-tight enclosure top, while simultaneously blocking said plate introduction apertures by aligning the light-tight door piercing probe aperture and the light-tight door pipetting probe aperture with the piercing probe aperture of the light-tight enclosure top and the pipetting probe aperture of the light-tight enclosure top, respectively; and
(3) move the sliding light-tight door to a position where the sliding light-tight door unblocks said imaging aperture, while simultaneously blocking the piercing probe aperture in the light-tight enclosure top, the one or more pipetting probe apertures in the light-tight enclosure top, and said plate introduction apertures.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pipetting system for delivering liquids to or removing liquids from the wells of an assay plate in said apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein
(i) said pipetting system comprises a pipetting probe mounted on a pipette translation stage for translating said pipetting probe in a vertical direction, and
(ii) said pipette translation stage is mounted on said light-tight enclosure top and configured to allow, when said sliding light-tight door is in a pipetting position, lowering said pipetting probe so as to access wells positioned under said one or more pipetting probe apertures in said light-tight enclosure top.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a component selected from the group consisting of reagent and/or sample delivery station, reagent and/or sample tube rack, probe wash station, waste station, and combinations thereof, wherein said pipette translation stage is configured to move in one or more horizontal directions to access liquids in and/or deliver liquids to said component.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a plate-seal piercing probe, wherein
said piercing probe is mounted on said light-tight enclosure top and configured to allow, when said sliding light-tight door is in a piercing position, lowering said piercing probe so as to pierce seals on wells positioned under said piercing probe apertures in said light-tight enclosure top.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said pipette translation stage comprises a probe translation element and said pipette translation stage is configured to travel horizontally to contact said piercing probe with said probe translation element and to travel vertically to lower and raise said piercing probe with said probe translation element.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the pipetting probe is mounted on the pipette translation stage for translating said pipetting probe in one or more horizontal directions.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plate-seal piercing probe.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising plate contacts for providing electrical energy to electrodes in wells positioned under said light detector.

10. A method for conducting an assay using the apparatus of claim 1 , the method comprising:
(a) introducing a plate to one of said plate stackers;
(b) sliding said sliding light-tight door so as to expose a plate introduction aperture under said one of said plate stackers;
(c) using one of said plate elevators to lower said plate from said one of said plate stackers to said plate carriage;
(d) sliding said sliding light-tight door to seal said plate introduction apertures;
(e) translating said plate carriage to position one or more wells under said light detector;
(f) detecting luminescence from said one or more wells;
(g) sliding said sliding light-tight door to expose at least one of said plate introduction apertures;
(h) translating said plate carriage to position said plate below said one of said plate introduction apertures; and
(i) raising one of said plate elevators to raise said plate to one of said plate stackers.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising introducing and/or removing one or more of pipetting sample and/or reagent into or out of one of said wells, removing seals from one or more of said wells, or applying electrical energy to electrodes in one or more of said wells.

12. A method for conducting an assay using the apparatus of claim 6 , the method comprising:
(a) introducing a plate to one of said plate stackers;
(b) sliding said sliding light-tight door so as to expose one of said plate introduction apertures;
(c) using one of said plate elevators to lower said plate from said one of said plate stackers to said plate carriage;
(d) sliding said sliding light-tight door to said piercing position;
(e) aligning a well of said plate under said piercing probe and piercing a seal on said well;
(f) sliding said sliding light-tight door to said pipetting position;
(g) using said pipetting probe to introduce and/or remove reagent and/or sample from one or more wells of said plate;
(h) sliding said sliding light-tight door to seal said plate introduction apertures;
(i) translating said plate carriage to position one or more wells under said light detector;
(j) detecting luminescence from said one or more wells;
(k) sliding said sliding light-tight door to expose one of said plate introduction apertures;
(l) translating said plate carriage to position said plate above one of said plate elevators; and
(m) raising said plate elevator to raise said plate to one of said plate stackers.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising translating said plat

Assignees

• Meso Scale Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Clinton Charles M
• Glezer Eli N
• Jeffrey-Coker Bandele
• Kovacs Sandor L
• Kumar Sudeep M
• Sigal George
• Stevens Carl
• Vock Michael

Classifications

• G01N21/255

  Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems · CPC title

• G01N2035/00306

  Housings, cabinets, control panels (details) · CPC title

• B01L3/5085

  for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates · CPC title

• B01L3/50255

  Multi-well filtration · CPC title

• G01N2035/1025

  Fluid level sensing · CPC title