176 results about "Thermal cycler" patented technology

A system for conducting a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay upon a collection of samples is disclosed. The PCR assay is performed by absorption detection. The system includes a multi-well plate which is adapted to retain a collection of sample wells. This system includes a thermal cycler for the multi-well plate. The system additionally includes a collection of photodetectors, and a corresponding number of light sources. The light sources are positioned such that light emitted from each of the respective light sources passes through a corresponding well retained in the multi-well plate and to a corresponding photodetector. The system also includes a processor or other means for analyzing the output signals from the photodetectors. In certain versions of the system, ultra-violet light is used.

This invention concerns a fluorometer preferably combined with a thermal cycler useful in biochemical protocols such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA melting curve analysis. The present flourometer features a low heat-generating light source such as a light emitting diode (LED), having a one-to-one correspondence to each of a plurality of sample containers, such as capped PCR tubes in a standard titer tray. The flourometer of the present invention further comprises an optical path between each LED and its correspondingly positioned container, and another optical path between each flourescing sample within the positioned container and an optical signal sensing means. The instrument can be computer controlled.

An instrument for performing highly accurate PCR employing a sample block in microtiter tray format. The sample block has local balance and local symmetry. A three zone film heater controlled by a computer and ramp cooling solenoid valves also controlled by the computer for gating coolant flow through the block controls the block temperature. Constant bias cooling is used for small changes. Sample temperature is calculated instead of measured. A platen deforms plastic caps to apply a minimum acceptable threshold force for seating the tubes and thermally isolates them. A cover isolates the block. The control software includes diagnostics. An install program tests and characterizes the instrument. A new user interface is used. Disposable, multipiece plastic microtiter trays to give individual freedom to sample tubes are taught.

The invention provides a system for high-throughput multiplex analysis of target samples. A sample and reagent delivery unit is operatively connected to a thermal cycler for amplification of target nucleic acids. Microspheres are hybridized to the resulting amplicons in the thermal cycler. A flow cytometer is operatively connected to the thermal cycler or optionally a bead trap for washing the microspheres.

An instrument for PCR comprising an assembly, a heated cover, and a computer. The assembly can include a sample block, Peltier devices, and a heat sink, clamped together. The sample block temperature can be changed by controlling the Peltier devices with the computer. A perimeter heater can be used to in prove thermal uniformity. A heated platen can push down onto tube caps to apply a minimum force for seating the tubes. The force can be applied about the periphery of the tube caps to prevent distortion of the caps. The platen can be heated to provide thermal isolation and prevent evaporation from the surface of the sample. The software can include diagnostics to compensate for variation in thermoelectric coolers such that all instruments can perform identically.

An instrument for performing highly accurate PCR employing an assembly, a heated cover and an internal computer. The assembly is made up of a sample block, a number of Peltier thermal electric devices and heat sink, clamped together. The sample block temperature is changed exclusively by the thermoelectric devices controlled by the computer. The sample block is of low thermal mass and is constructed of silver. The Peltier devices are designed to provide fast temperature excursions over a wide range. The heat sink has a perimeter trench to minimize edge losses and is adjacent to a continuously variable fan. A perimeter heater is used to improve the thermal uniformity across the sample block to approximately ±0.2° C. A heated platen pushes down onto the tube caps to apply a minimum acceptable force for seating the tubes into the block, ensuring good thermal contact with the block. The force is applied about the periphery of the tube caps to prevent distortion of the caps during thermal cycling. The platen is heated to provided thermal isolation from ambient conditions and to prevent evaporation from the surface of the sample into the upper portion of the sample tube. A control algorithm manipulates the current supplied to the thermoelectric coolers such that the dynamic thermal performance of the block can be controlled so that pre-defined thermal profiles for the sample temperature can be executed. The sample temperature is calculated instead of measured using a design specific model and equations. The control software includes calibration diagnostics which permit variation in the performance of thermoelectric coolers from instrument to instrument to be compensated for such that all instruments perform identically. The block / heat sink assembly can be changed to another of the same or different design. The assembly carries the necessary information required to characterize its own performance in an on-board memory device, allowing the assembly to be interchangeable among instruments while retaining its precision operating characteristics. The instrument has a graphical user interface. The instrument monitors the thermoelectric devices and warns of changes in resistance that may result in failure.

A system for thermal cycling a plurality of samples. The system includes a case having a fluid-tight cavity defining an interior volume. A microfluidic array is disposed in the interior volume, the array including a sheet of material having a pair of opposed surfaces, a thickness, and a plurality of through-holes running through the thickness between the surfaces. A thermal cycler having at least one thermally controlled surface is adapted to thermally contact the case.

The invention provides methods of conducting a nucleic acid reaction, including methods for performing digital PCR using a “droplet-in-oil” technology. In the methods, the starting sampled is segmented at least partially into a set of sample droplets each containing on average about one or fewer copies of a target nucleic acid. The droplets are passed in a continuous flow of immiscible carrier fluid through a channel that passes through a thermal cycler, whereby the target is amplified. In one implementation, the droplets are about 350 nl each and the number of positively amplified droplets is counted at the near-saturation point.

A system for conducting a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay upon a collection of samples is disclosed. The PCR assay is performed by absorption detection. The system includes a multi-well plate which is adapted to retain a collection of sample wells. This system includes a thermal cycler for the multi-well plate. The system additionally includes a collection of photodetectors, and a corresponding number of light sources. The light sources are positioned such that light emitted from each of the respective light sources passes through a corresponding well retained in the multi-well plate and to a corresponding photodetector. The system also includes a processor or other means for analyzing the output signals from the photodetectors. In certain versions of the system, ultra-violet light is used.

A fast, multiplexed PCR system is described that can rapidly generate amplified nucleic acid products, for example, a full STR profile, from a target nucleic acid. Such systems include, for example, microfluidic biochips and a custom built thermal cycler, which are also described. The resulting STR profiles can satisfy forensic guidelines for signal strength, inter-loci peak height balance, heterozygous peak height ratio, incomplete non-template nucleotide addition, and stutter.

A reaction vessel having a reaction chamber for holding a sample is fabricated by producing a housing having a rigid frame defining the minor walls of the chamber. The housing also defines a port for introducing fluid into the chamber. At least one sheet or film is attached to the rigid frame to form at least one major wall of the chamber. In preferred embodiments, two sheets or films are attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form two opposing major walls of the chamber, the major walls being connected to each other by the minor walls.

A thermal cycler is provided that may be used as a nucleic acid amplification apparatus. The cycler has at least three temperature zones that can be set at different temperatures, the temperature zones including a first temperature zone, an intermediate zone, and a second temperature zone. The cycler has a channel including a plurality of forward subchannels and a plurality of backward subchannels, with the forward subchannels being different from the backward subchannels in terms of cross-sectional area in the intermediate zone. The channel is configured to continuously flow a fluid alternately through one of the forward subchannels and one of the backward subchannels, so that the fluid travels repeatedly between the first temperature zone and the second temperature zone via the intermediate zone, whereby the fluid is thermally cycled while the fluid flows through the channel.

A device for amplifying a nucleic acid sample may include a sample holder configured to receive a nucleic acid sample, a heating system configured to raise the temperature of the sample, a cooling system configured to lower the temperature of the sample, and a controller configured to operably control the heating system and the cooling system to cycle the device through a desired time-temperature profile. The cooling system may include at least one heat pipe and a heat sink and the at least one heat pipe may include a first portion disposed proximate to the sample holder and a second portion disposed proximate to the heat sink.

Systems and methods for processing and analyzing samples are disclosed. The system may process samples, such as biological fluids, using assay cartridges which can be processed at different processing locations. In some cases, the system can be used for PCR processing. The different processing locations may include a preparation location where samples can be prepared and an analysis location where samples can be analyzed. To assist with the preparation of samples, the system may also include a number of processing stations which may include processing lanes. During the analysis of samples, in some cases, thermal cycler modules and an appropriate optical detection system can be used to detect the presence or absence of certain nucleic acid sequences in the samples. The system can be used to accurately and rapidly process samples.

The present invention relates to a thermal cycler for the carrying out of chemical or biological reactions, such as PCR or other nucleic acid amplification reactions, that is segmented with a plurality of reaction vessel receiving elements. The reaction vessel receiving elements are thermally isolated from each other and provide an airtight seal to prevent liquids or moisture from penetrating below the reaction vessel receiving elements. The reaction vessel receiving elements have several recesses arranged in a pattern to receive the reaction vessels of a single standard microtiter plate and the segmented thermal cycler has a system for independently heating and cooling each of the reaction vessel receiving elements.

A portable, fully-automated, microchip including a DNA purification region fluidly integrated with a PCR-based detection region is used to detect specific DNA sequences for the rapid detection of bacterial pathogens. Using an automated detection system with integrated microprocessor, pumps, valves, thermocycler and fluorescence detection modules, the microchip is able to purify and detect bacterial DNA by real-time PCR amplification using fluorescent dye. The fully automated detection system is completely portable, making the system ideal for the detection of bacterial pathogens in the field or other point-of-care environments.

A device for performing polymerase chain reactions using cooling members not used in conventional thermal cyclers. A device for performing polymerase chain reactions may include a sample holder configured to receive a nucleic acid sample, a heating system configured to raise the temperature of the sample, a cooling system configured to lower the temperature of the sample, and a controller configured to operably control the heating system and the cooling system to cycle the device through a desired time-temperature profile. The cooling system may comprise at least one cooling member selected from a synthetic jet ejector array, a vibration-induced droplet atomization system, a vibrating diaphragm system, a piezo fan, a Cold Gun, a microchannel cooling loop, and a Cool Chip.

The invention relates to an apparatus and methods for preventing condensation on the interior surfaces of sample tubes which are being exposed to temperature cycles, such as during a PCR amplification reaction. In particular, the invention relates to apparatus comprising a sample block comprising a plurality of sample wells for receiving sample tubes and heating elements disposed in the sample wells for heating at least a portion of the sides of sample tubes (e.g., at least the portion which forms the head space after a tube is filled with a PCR reaction mixture). In a preferred aspect, the sample block is part of a thermocycling device for performing PCR and the side-wall heater is used to enhance uniformity and speed of amplification reactions. For example, by decreasing or eliminating condensation, signal strength jumps in a real-time PCR assay can be minimized as can reaction non-homogeneity.

A portable apparatus for thermal cycling a material to be thermal cycled includes a portable microfluidic-compatible platform, a microfluidic heat exchanger carried by the portable microfluidic-compatible platform; a porous medium in the microfluidic heat exchanger; a microfluidic thermal cycling chamber containing the material to be thermal cycled, the microfluidic thermal cycling chamber operatively connected to the microfluidic heat exchanger; a working fluid at first temperature, a first system for transmitting the working fluid at first temperature to the microfluidic heat exchanger; a working fluid at a second temperature, a second system for transmitting the working fluid at second temperature to the microfluidic heat exchanger; a pump for flowing the working fluid at the first temperature from the first system to the microfluidic heat exchanger and through the porous medium; and flowing the working fluid at the second temperature from the second system to the heat exchanger and through the porous medium.

The disclosure provides a system and method to safely and efficiently store and transport process tubes in a carrier tray comprising prior to and during amplification of nucleotides in the process tubes. The process tube disclosed includes a securement region having an annular ledge, a neck, and a protrusion. The securement region of the process tube can secure the process tube in a port of the carrier tray, but still allows the process tube to adjust or float in order to align the process tube into a rigid heater well of a thermal cycler.

A method in which a temperature gradient is generated across a "gradient" block, and an apparatus comprising a block across which a temperature gradient can be generated. By setting up such a gradient, multiple reaction mixtures held in wells on the gradient block can be simultaneously run at temperatures which differ only slightly, thereby permitting an optimum temperature for the reaction to be quickly identified. In a preferred embodiment the gradient block is integrated into a thermal cycler used for nucleic acid amplification reactions.

A reaction vessel having a reaction chamber for holding a sample is fabricated by producing a housing having a rigid frame defining the minor walls of the chamber. The housing also defines a port for introducing fluid into the chamber. At least one sheet or film is attached to the rigid frame to form at least one major wall of the chamber. In preferred embodiments, two sheets or films are attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form two opposing major walls of the chamber, the major walls being connected to each other by the minor walls.

A method in which a temperature gradient is generated across a “gradient” block, and an apparatus comprising a block across which a temperature gradient can be generated. By setting up such a gradient, multiple reaction mixtures held in wells on the gradient block can be simultaneously run at temperatures which differ only slightly, thereby permitting an optimum temperature for the reaction to be quickly identified. In a preferred embodiment the gradient block is integrated into a thermal cycler used for nucleic acid amplification reactions.

This is a self-contained disposable thermal cycler device in which target sequence is amplified as the samples passes over a grid of alternating temperature and then at the completion of the reaction, the amplified material is captured by probes complementary to the targeted sequence. Since the device can be sealed and is disposable, it reduces the occurrence of cross contamination or specimen carry-over.

Localized temperature control in a thermal cycler is achieved by thermoelectric modules that are protected from exposure to atmospheric moisture by a pair of loop-shaped gaskets that seal off an enclosure formed by the sample block, the heat sink, and a support frame to which the components are secured. The heat sink is a block with a plurality of fins and is secured to the thermoelectric modules by one or more clamping bars that fit between the fins and are arranged to eliminate interference with the fin geometry and with the functional surface area of the fins. Electric leads are embedded in a molded retainer element, each lead being in the shape of a “U” with two exposed legs joined by a bar at one end, one of the leads extending into the region sealed from the atmosphere and the other extending outside the region.

A random access, high-throughput system and method for preparing a biological sample for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing are disclosed. The system includes a nucleic acid isolation / purification apparatus and a PCR apparatus. The nucleic acid isolation / purification apparatus magnetically captures nucleic acid (NA) solids from the biological sample and then suspends the NA in elution buffer solution. The PCR testing apparatus provides multiple cycles of the denaturing, annealing, and elongating thermal cycles. More particularly, the PCR testing apparatus includes a multi-vessel thermal cycler array that has a plurality of single-vessel thermal cyclers that is each individually-thermally-controllable so that adjacent single-vessel thermal cyclers can be heated or cooled to different temperatures corresponding to the different thermal cycles of the respective PCR testing process.