Sample carrier system

• US 20030087455A1
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GenVault Corp. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: GenVault Corp. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hogan, Michael, Eggers, Mitchell D.
• Application Number:
  US10/150,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20030087455A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/169
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/022 Transponder chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/00 Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/545 for laboratory containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/42 Low-temperature sample treatment, e.g. cryofixation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00277 Special precautions to avoid contamination (e.g. enclosures, glove- boxes, sealed sample carriers, disposal of contaminated material)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00306 Housings, cabinets, control panels (details)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A sample carrier generally comprises a sample node and an identifier co-located with the sample node. A sample node may be operative to carry a discrete sample, while an identifier may be operative to provide information associated with the sample carried by the sample node. Embodiments of a sample carrier may comprise a plurality of sample nodes supported in a predetermined spatial relationship relative to a respective sample container such as a respective well of a multi-well plate. A system and method of transferring specimens to a sample carrier include contacting a sample node to the specimen and encoding information associated with the specimen on the identifier. Various alternatives are disclosed wherein the specimen is solid, gaseous, and liquid in form.

Claims

1. A sample carrier comprising:

a sample node operative to carry a discrete sample; and

an identifier co-located with said sample node and operative to provide information associated with said discrete sample.

2. The sample carrier of claim 1 wherein said sample node is operative to carry a biological sample.

3. The sample carrier of claim 2 wherein said biological sample comprises a protein.

4. The sample carrier of claim 2 wherein said biological sample comprises a polynucleotide.

5. The sample carrier of claim 4 wherein said polynucleotide is RNA.

6. The sample carrier of claim 4 wherein said polynucleotide is DNA.

7. The sample carrier of claim 1 wherein said sample node is operative to carry a non-biological sample.

8. The sample carrier of claim 1 wherein said identifier comprises identifying indicia.

9. The sample carrier of claim 8 wherein said indicia are decipherable by an optical sensor.

10. The sample carrier of claim 9 wherein said indicia include a bar code.

11. The sample carrier of claim 1 wherein said identifier comprises a transceiver operative to transmit a signal identifying said discrete sample.

12. The sample carrier of claim 11 wherein said transceiver is further operative to receive a signal from a remote device.

13. The sample carrier of claim 12 wherein said transceiver receives operational power from energy in said signal.

14. The sample carrier of claim 12 wherein said signal comprises light.

15. The sample carrier of claim 14 wherein said signal comprises fluorescent light.

16. The sample carrier of claim 14 wherein said signal comprises coherent light.

17. The sample carrier of claim 12 wherein said signal comprises electromagnetic energy.

18. The sample carrier of claim 17 wherein said signal comprises radio frequency electromagnetic energy.

19. The sample carrier of claim 17 wherein said transceiver is internal to said sample node.

20. The sample carrier of claim 1 wherein said sample node is solid.

21. The sample carrier of claim 1 wherein said sample node is porous.

22. The sample carrier of claim 1 wherein said sample node comprises a sample support medium.

23. The sample carrier of claim 22 wherein said sample support medium comprises cellulose.

24. The sample carrier of claim 22 wherein said sample support medium comprises a polymer.

25. The sample carrier of claim 24 wherein said polymer is polystyrene.

26. The sample carrier of claim 24 wherein said polymer is chitosan.

27. The sample carrier of claim 22 wherein said sample support medium is derivatized.

28. The sample carrier of claim 27 wherein said sample support medium is positively charged.

29. The sample carrier of claim 27 wherein said sample support medium is negatively charged.

30. The sample carrier of claim 1 wherein said identifier is internal to said sample node.

31. The sample carrier of claim 1 wherein said identifier is permanently co-located with said sample node.

32. A sample carrier comprising:

a plurality of sample nodes supported in a predetermined spatial relationship;

each of said plurality of sample nodes operative to carry a discrete sample; and

a plurality of identifiers;

each respective one of said plurality of identifiers co-located with a respective one of said plurality of sample nodes and operative to provide information associated with said discrete sample.

33. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of sample nodes is supported in a predetermined spatial relationship relative to a respective specimen container.

34. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of sample nodes is supported in a predetermined spatial relationship relative to a respective well of a multi-well plate.

35. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of sample nodes is operative to carry a biological sample.

36. The sample carrier of claim 35 wherein said biological sample comprises a protein.

37. The sample carrier of claim 35 wherein said biological sample comprises a polynucleotide.

38. The sample carrier of claim 37 wherein said polynucleotide is RNA.

39. The sample carrier of claim 37 wherein said polynucleotide is DNA.

40. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of sample nodes is operative to carry a non-biological sample.

41. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of identifiers comprises identifying indicia.

42. The sample carrier of claim 41 wherein said indicia are decipherable by an optical sensor.

43. The sample carrier of claim 42 wherein said indicia include a bar code.

44. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each respective one of said plurality of identifiers comprises a respective transceiver operative to transmit a signal identifying said discrete sample.

45. The sample carrier of claim 44 wherein said respective transceiver is further operative to receive a signal from a remote device.

46. The sample carrier of claim 45 wherein said respective transceiver receives operational power from energy in said signal.

47. The sample carrier of claim 45 wherein said signal comprises light.

48. The sample carrier of claim 45 wherein said signal comprises fluorescent light.

49. The sample carrier of claim 45 wherein said signal comprises coherent light.

50. The sample carrier of claim 45 wherein said signal comprises electromagnetic energy.

51. The sample carrier of claim 45 wherein said signal comprises radio frequency electromagnetic energy.

52. The sample carrier of claim 51 wherein said respective transceiver is internal to said respective one of said plurality of sample nodes.

53. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of sample nodes is solid.

54. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of sample nodes is porous.

55. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of sample nodes comprises a sample support medium.

56. The sample carrier of claim 55 wherein said sample support medium comprises cellulose.

57. The sample carrier of claim 55 wherein said sample support medium comprises a polymer.

58. The sample carrier of claim 57 wherein said polymer is polystyrene.

59. The sample carrier of claim 57 wherein said polymer is chitosan.

60. The sample carrier of claim 57 wherein said sample support medium is derivatized.

61. The sample carrier of claim 60 wherein said sample support medium is positively charged.

62. The sample carrier of claim 60 wherein said sample support medium is negatively charged.

63. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each respective one of said plurality of identifiers is internal to said respective one of said plurality of sample nodes.

64. The sample carrier of claim 32 wherein each respective one of said plurality of identifiers is permanently co-located with said respective one of said plurality of sample nodes.

65. A method of transferring a specimen to a sample carrier;

said method comprising;

providing a sample carrier comprising a sample node operative to carry a discrete sample and an identifier co-located with said sample node and operative to provide information associated with said discrete sample; and

contacting said sample node and said specimen.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein said specimen is a solid.

67. The method of claim 65 wherein said specimen is gaseous.

68. The method of claim 65 wherein said specimen is a liquid.

69. The method of claim 65 wherein said sample no de comprises a preservative.

70. The method of claim 65 further comprising washing said sample node subsequent to said contacting.

71. The method of claim 65 further comprising allowing said sample node to desiccate subsequent to said contacting.

72. The method of claim 65 wherein said identifier comprises a bar code identifying said specimen.

73. The method of claim 65 wherein said identifier comprises a transceiver operative to transmit a signal identifying said specimen.

74. The method of claim 65 wherein said identifier is permanently co-located with said sample node.

75. A method of transferring specimens to a sample carrier;

said method comprising;

providing a sample carrier comprising a plurality of sample nodes supported in a predetermined spatial relationship relative to a respective specimen container and a plurality of identifiers, each respective one of said plurality of identifiers co-located with a respective one of said plurality of sample nodes and operative to provide information associated with said discrete sample; and

contacting selected ones of said plurality of sample nodes and a respective specimen.

76. The method of claim 75 wherein said contacting comprises bringing said plurality of sample nodes into contact with a specimen in said respective specimen container.

77. The method of claim 75 wherein said respective specimen is a solid.

78. The method of claim 75 wherein said respective specimen is gaseous.

79. The method of claim 75 wherein said respective specimen is a liquid.

80. The method of claim 75 wherein each of said plurality of sample nodes comprises a preservative.

81. The method of claim 75 further comprising washing selected ones of said plurality of sample nodes subsequent to said contacting.

82. The method of claim 75 further comprising allowing said plurality of sample nodes to desiccate subsequent to said contacting.

83. The method of claim 75 wherein each of said plurality of identifiers comprises a bar code identifying said respective specimen.

84. The method of claim 75 wherein each of said plurality of identifiers comprises a transceiver configured to transmit a signal identifying said respective specimen.

85. The method of claim 75 wherein each of said plurality of identifiers is permanently co-located with said respective one of said plurality of sample nodes.

86. A sample carrier comprising:

a sample node;

an identifier co-located with said sample node; and

a specimen carried by said sample node;

wherein said identifier is operative to provide information associated with said specimen.

87. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said specimen is biological.

88. The sample carrier of claim 87 wherein said specimen comprises a protein.

89. The sample carrier of claim 87 wherein said specimen comprises a polynucleotide.

90. The sample carrier of claim 89 wherein said polynucleotide is RNA.

91. The sample carrier of claim 89 wherein said polynucleotide is DNA.

92. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said specimen is non-biological.

93. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said sample node is solid.

94. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein sample node is porous.

95. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said sample node comprises cellulose.

96. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said sample node comprises a polymer.

97. The sample carrier of claim 96 wherein said polymer is polystyrene.

98. The sample carrier of claim 96 wherein said polymer is chitosan.

99. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said sample node is derivatized.

100. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said sample node is treated with a chemical compound.

101. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said identifier comprises identifying indicia.

102. The sample carrier of claim 101 wherein said indicia include a bar code.

103. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said identifier comprises a transceiver operative to transmit a signal identifying said specimen.

104. The sample carrier of claim 103 wherein said transceiver is internal to said sample node.

105. The sample carrier of claim 86 wherein said identifier is permanently co-located with said sample node.

106. A sample carrier comprising:

a sample node operative to carry a discrete sample; and

an identifier permanently co-located with said sample node and operative to provide information associated with said discrete sample.

107. The sample carrier of claim 106 wherein said sample comprises a protein.

108. The sample carrier of claim 106 wherein said sample comprises a polynucleotide.

109. The sample carrier of claim 106 wherein said identifier comprises identifying indicia.

110. The sample carrier of claim 106 wherein said identifier comprises a transceiver operative to transmit a signal identifying said discrete sample.

111. The sample carrier of claim 110 wherein said transceiver is internal to said sample node.

112. The sample carrier of claim 106 wherein said sample node comprises a sample support medium.

113. The sample carrier of claim 112 wherein said sample support medium comprises cellulose.

114. The sample carrier of claim 112 wherein said sample support medium comprises a polymer.