Systems and methods for high speed array printing and hybridization

Abstract

Novel and improved systems and methods for high speed arraying, hybridization, quantitative development and / or assaying are provided. Some embodiments provide a web based arraying format. Some other embodiments provide a sheet based arraying format. Some embodiments use a drop on drop assaying or hybridization mode. In some embodiments, a substantially inert substrate is utilized. In some other embodiments, an interactive substrate is utilized.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 881,322, filed Jan. 19, 2007, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The invention relates in general to diagnostic systems and methods and, more particularly, to systems and methods for high speed array printing, hybridization, quantitative development and assaying.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Diagnostic formats involving microarrays or biochips continue to have a broad range of applications, such as, but not limited to, the fields of genomics and proteomics, among others. These technologies not only relate to the creation of the arrays but also to their processing and assaying such as hybridization. In many cases, valuable reagents need to be effectively utilized in small quantities which can be as low in the picoliter range.[0006]Conventional systems,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]Traditional microarraying is based on the use of aspiration and dispense processes where the source chemistries are presented in microtiter plate formats from which the reagents are aspirated and then dispensed (A / D) onto the array substrate. This conventional process undesirably requires a careful cleaning process each time the reagents are changed which results in a high overhead time and thus disadvantageously reduces production throughput.

Problems solved by technology

Another driving force for using small spots has been the cost of the reagents for large spotting libraries.

Research and development (R&D) arrays are typically printed in volumes under 200,000 per year as the conventional processing throughput is disadvantageously slow due to both the process speed and number of spots being printed.

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