Diagnostic apparatus to extract nucleic acids including a magnetic assembly and a heater assembly
Inventors
Duffy, Patrick • Wilson, Kerry • Handique, Kalyan • Williams, Jeff
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10844368-B2
Publication Date
2020-11-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
A rack for holding samples and various reagents, wherein the rack may be used for loading the samples and reagents prior to using the reagents. The rack accepts complementary reagent holders, each of which contain a set of reagents for carrying out a predetermined processing operation, such as preparing biological samples for amplifying and detecting polynucleotides extracted from the samples.
Core Innovation
The document describes a diagnostic apparatus and module for extracting nucleic acid from nucleic acid-containing samples using a lane-based arrangement that includes process chambers and a waste chamber. The module includes an assembly that receives first and second process chambers, and a plurality of lanes, and uses a magnetic assembly and a heater assembly that are configured to operate together on the contents of each process chamber.
In each lane, a nucleic acid-containing sample and a plurality of magnetic affinity beads are received in a process chamber, and the samples with magnetic affinity beads are heated within the process chamber by the heater assembly. The magnetic assembly is configured to simultaneously capture or move the magnetic affinity beads in the process chamber, and is held adjacent to the respective process chamber to capture or move the plurality of magnetic affinity beads.
A liquid dispenser is configured to perform suck and dispense operations on the lanes, including dispensing nucleic acid-containing samples into the process chambers and withdrawing amplification-ready solutions after the heater assembly applies heat and the magnetic assembly applies magnetic force. The liquid dispenser is configured to perform operations on the plurality of lanes simultaneously or in parallel, coordinating lane fluid handling with the heater assembly and the magnetic assembly.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides four independent diagnostic apparatus claims. Across these independent claims, the coverage centers on multi-lane nucleic-acid extraction with magnetic affinity beads and in-lane heating, coordinated with a liquid dispenser that dispenses samples and withdraws amplification-ready solutions simultaneously or in parallel.
Two-lane nucleic acid extraction with coordinated magnetic and thermal processing
A diagnostic apparatus with a module comprising a first lane with a first process chamber and a second lane with a second process chamber, an assembly that receives both process chambers, a magnetic assembly configured to apply magnetic force to both process chambers, and a heater assembly configured to apply heat to both process chambers such that the heater assembly and magnetic assembly are configured to operate together; the magnetic assembly is configured to simultaneously capture or move the first and second pluralities of magnetic affinity beads in the first and second process chambers; and a liquid dispenser configured to perform suck and dispense operations on the first lane and the second lane.
Two-lane extraction using a heat block heater with simultaneous bead capture or movement
A diagnostic apparatus with a module comprising a first lane with a first process chamber and a second lane with a second process chamber, an assembly that receives both process chambers, a magnetic assembly configured to apply magnetic force to the first and second process chambers, and a heater assembly configured to apply heat to the first and second process chambers, wherein the heater assembly comprises a heat block; the heater assembly heats the first and second nucleic acid-containing samples with corresponding pluralities of magnetic affinity beads within their process chambers; the magnetic assembly is configured to simultaneously capture or move the first and second pluralities of magnetic affinity beads in the first and second process chambers; and a liquid dispenser configured to perform suck and dispense operations on the first lane and the second lane.
Multi-lane extraction with adjacent magnetic capture and simultaneous liquid operations
A diagnostic apparatus with a module configured to extract nucleic acid from a plurality of nucleic acid-containing samples, wherein the module comprises a plurality of lanes each comprising a process chamber, and the process chambers are configured to be received by an assembly comprising a magnetic assembly configured to apply magnetic force to each process chamber of each lane and a heater assembly configured to heat each process chamber of each lane; wherein when a nucleic acid-containing sample and a plurality of magnetic affinity beads are received with a respective process chamber, the sample and beads are configured to be heated within the respective process chamber by the heater assembly, and wherein the magnetic assembly is configured to be held adjacent to the respective process chamber to capture or move the magnetic affinity beads; and a liquid dispenser configured to dispense the plurality of nucleic acid-containing samples into the process chambers, withdraw a plurality of amplification-ready solutions after heat and magnetic force, and perform operations on the plurality of lanes simultaneously.
Parallel multi-lane extraction with lane-wise heating and amplification-ready solution withdrawal
A diagnostic apparatus with a module configured to extract nucleic acid from a plurality of nucleic acid-containing samples, wherein the module comprises a plurality of lanes each comprising a process chamber, and the process chambers are configured to be received by an assembly comprising a magnetic assembly configured to apply magnetic force to each process chamber of each lane and a heater assembly configured to heat each process chamber of each lane; wherein when a nucleic acid-containing sample and a plurality of magnetic affinity beads are received with a respective process chamber, the sample and beads are configured to be heated within the respective process chamber by the heater assembly and wherein the magnetic assembly is configured to be held adjacent to the respective process chamber to capture or move the magnetic affinity beads; and a liquid dispenser configured to dispense the nucleic acid-containing samples into the process chambers respectively, withdraw the plurality of amplification-ready solutions after the heater assembly applies heat and the magnetic assembly applies magnetic force, and perform operations on the plurality of lanes in parallel.
Across the independent claims, the diagnostic apparatus coverage is directed to extracting nucleic acid using a lane-based module where each process chamber receives magnetic affinity beads, the contents are heated within the chamber by a heater assembly, magnetic force is applied by a magnetic assembly held adjacent to the chamber to capture or move the beads, and a liquid dispenser coordinates suck and dispense operations with dispensing samples and withdrawing amplification-ready solutions simultaneously or in parallel across lanes.
Stated Advantages
Parallel processing of multiple lanes.
Integrated operation where coordinated heating, magnetic force, and liquid handling are performed together in the diagnostic apparatus.
Documented Applications
Nucleic-acid diagnostic workflows using lane-based extraction with magnetic affinity beads, in-chamber heating, and withdrawal of amplification-ready solutions.
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