Biochemical analysis instrument

• US 10,386,330 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2019
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Clive Gavin, Willcocks, James Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Wecker, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US16/297,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20190204267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 165 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6869 Methods for sequencing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1433 using image recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1459 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44756 Apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48721 Investigating individual macromolecules, e.g. by translocation through nanopores Coulter counters in general G01N15/12; fabrication methods for nanoscale apertures B81B1/00; sequencing of nucleic acids C12Q1/68

Abstract

An analysis instrument comprises plural modules connected together over a data network, each module comprising an analysis apparatus operable to perform biochemical analysis of a sample. Each module comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the analysis apparatus. The control units are addressable to select an arbitrary number of modules to operate as a cluster for performing a common biochemical analysis. The control units communicate over the data network, repeatedly during the performance of the common biochemical analysis, to determine the operation of the analysis apparatus of each module required to meet the global performance targets, on the basis of measures of performance derived from the output data produced by the modules. The arrangement of the instrument as modules interacting in this manner provides a scalable analysis instrument.

Claims

1. An analysis instrument for performing biochemical analysis, the analysis instrument comprising a plurality of modules connected together over a data network, wherein:

each module comprises an analysis apparatus that is operable to perform biochemical analysis of a sample, the module being configured to produce output data of at least one channel representing the results of the biochemical analysis, and the operation of the analysis apparatus being controllable in a manner that varies its performance; and

the analysis apparatus comprises at least one flow cell;

wherein the analysis instrument further comprises a control system that is configured to accept input selecting an arbitrary number of modules as a cluster for performing a common biochemical analysis and is configured to accept input representing global performance targets corresponding to the common biochemical analysis; and

the control system is configured to determine, at least once during the performance of the common biochemical analysis, measures of performance of each module from the output data produced by the modules.

2. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control the operation of the modules of the cluster to perform the common biochemical analysis.

3. The analysis instrument of claim 2, wherein the control system comprises a control unit in each module that is operable to control the operation of that module.

4. The analysis instrument of claim 3, wherein each control unit is arranged to present a user-interface over the network for a computer connected thereto.

5. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the measures of global performance targets are derived locally in the modules.

6. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to vary the control of the operation of the modules on the basis of the determined measures of performance of all the modules in the cluster and the global performance targets.

7. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to take remedial action in the event a measure of performance is not achievable during operation of a module in the cluster.

8. The analysis instrument of claim 7, wherein the remedial action is stopping the biochemical analysis.

9. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the measure of performance of each module is the status of producing output data.

10. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the measure of performance of each module is the quantity or quality of output data.

11. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control the operation of each flow cell in a manner that varies its performance.

12. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein each flow cell comprises a zero mode waveguide.

13. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the analysis instrument is scalable.

14. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modules comprises two or more modules.

15. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the biochemical analysis is sequencing of polynucleotides.

16. The analysis instrument of claim 15, wherein the control system is configured to direct the sequencing of a defined number of polynucleotides in each flow cell.

17. The analysis instrument of claim 15, wherein the sequencing comprises an imaging stage to detect the incorporation of chemically labelled fluorescent probes.

18. The analysis instrument of claim 15, wherein the sequencing comprises an imaging stage to detect the annealing of chemically labelled fluorescent probes.

19. The analysis instrument of claim 15, wherein the sequencing comprises an imaging stage to detect the removal of chemically labelled fluorescent probes.

20. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein each module can alternatively be operated as an independent unit for performing biochemical analysis.

21. The analysis instrument of claim 1, wherein the global performance targets are set by user input or stored data corresponding to the biochemical analysis being performed.