System, substrate plate and incubation device for conducting bioassays

• US 20060013736A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PamGene B.V. (VitrOmics Healthcare Holding BV)
• Original Assignee: PamGene B.V. (VitrOmics Healthcare Holding BV)
• Inventors: Van Beuningen, Marinus Gerardus Johannes, Blok, Herman Jacobus
• Application Number:
  US10/511,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013736A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/99
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00315 Microtiter plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00495 Means for heating or cooling the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00641 the porous medium being continuous, e.g. porous oxide substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00662 Two-dimensional arrays within two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50255 Multi-well filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/472 said single elements being substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries

Abstract

A system for conducting bioassays comprises a substrate plate with wells, and an incubation device for holding the plate. The substrate plate comprises a microplate with an array of wells arranged in rows and columns, wherein the bottom of each well is a microarray substrate having oriented flow-through channels. The incubation device comprises an incubation chamber fox holding the microplate and a cover for sealing the incubation chamber. The incubation device has a heat block with array of openings, each opening adapted to receive a well of the microplate. A sealing gasket is provided for individually sealing each well of the microplate.

Claims

1. System for conducting bioassays, comprising a substrate plate with a number of wells, and an incubation device for holding the plate, characterized in that the substrate plate comprises a microplate with an array of wells arranged in rows and columns, wherein the bottom of each well is a microarray substrate having oriented flow-through channels, and in that the incubation device comprises an incubation chamber for holding the microplate and a cover for sealing the incubation chamber, said incubation device having a heat block with array of openings, each opening adapted to receive a well of the microplate, wherein a sealing gasket is provided for individually sealing each well of the microplate.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the incubation device comprises a circumferential wall, wherein a sealing gasket is provided on the upper side of said circumferential wall, said sealing gasket being adapted to sealingly engage the lower side of the microplate.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein the maximum thickness of the incubation device heat block corresponds with the depth of the wells of the microplate, wherein preferably the circumferential wall of each opening is adapted to contact the outer wall of a well of the microplate.

4. System according to claim 3, wherein the wells of the microplate and the openings of the heat block are conically shaped.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the heat block, the circumferential wall and a bottom wall of the incubation device enclose an air chamber having a connection for an external vacuum/pressure system and a drain connection.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein the cover is transparent.

7. System according to claim 1, wherein the cover is provided with a heating element.

8. System according to claim 1, wherein the incubation device is provided with a heating element.

9. System according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is made of a metal oxide, preferably an aluminium oxide.

17. Incubation device for a system according to claim 1.

18. Apparatus for conducting high throughput screening tests, comprising a system according to claim 1, a device for linearly moving the incubation device along a plurality of stations including a station for loading a microplate into the incubation device, a station for dispensing a liquid into the wells of the microplate, and a reading station for individually illuminating each substrate of the microplate, wherein a device is provided for moving the incubation device with the microplate with respect to the reading station in mutually perpendicular directions.

10. Microplate, comprising an array of wells arranged in rows and columns, wherein the bottom of each well is a microarray substrate having oriented flow-through channels.

11. Microplate according to claim 10, wherein each well has a conical shape.

12. Microplate according to claim 10, wherein at least the upper surface of the microplate and the inner side of the wells is non-reflecting.

13. Microplate according to claim 10, comprising a skirt having a lower side, wherein the substrates of the wells are substantially located in the same virtual plane and the lower side of the skirt is located in the same virtual plane or at a higher level.

14. Microplate according to claim 10, wherein all substrates are substantially located in the same virtual plane.

15. Microplate according to claim 10, wherein the substrates are incorporated in the plate by moulding, glueing, thermal bonding or the like.

16. Microplate according to claim 10, wherein the substrate is made of a metal oxide, preferably an aluminium oxide.