INTEGRATION OF SAMPLE STORAGE AND SAMPLE MANAGEMENT FOR LIFE SCIENCE

• US 20090291427A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Judy Muller-Cohn, Rolf Muller
• Original Assignee: Judy Muller-Cohn, Rolf Muller
• Inventors: Muller-Cohn, Judy, Muller, Rolf
• Application Number:
  US12/509,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20090291427A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/2
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 1/00 Preservation of bodies of humans or animals, or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 1/02 Preservation of living parts
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 1/0231 Chemically defined matrices, e.g. alginate gels, for immobilising, holding or storing cells, tissue or organs for preservation purposes; Chemically altering or fixing cells, tissue or organs, e.g. by cross-linking, for preservation purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/022 Transponder chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/023 Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50255 Multi-well filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50855 using modular assemblies of strips or of individual wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/545 for laboratory containers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/04 Preserving or maintaining viable microorganisms immobilised microorganisms C12N11/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0018 Culture media for cell or tissue culture media for specific animal cell type C12N5/06
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/96 Stabilising an enzyme by forming an adduct or a composition; Forming enzyme conjugates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00108 Test strips, e.g. paper
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00782 : reprogrammmable code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 : Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 : having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/108331 : Preservative, buffer, anticoagulant or diluent

Abstract

Compositions and methods are disclosed for automated storing, tracking, retrieving and analyzing biological samples, including dry storage at ambient temperatures of nucleic acids, proteins (including enzymes), and cells using a dissolvable dry storage matrix that permits recovery of biologically active materials. RFID-tagged biological sample storage devices featuring dissolvable or dissociable matrices are described for use as supports of biological samples, which matrices can be dried and subsequently rehydrated for sample recovery. Also disclosed are computer-implemented systems and methods for managing sample data.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a stabilizer for substantially dry storage of a biological sample comprising:

(a) contacting a biological sample with a matrix material that dissolves or dissociates in a first biocompatible solvent in the presence of a candidate agent;

(b) drying the matrix material during or after fluid contact of (a) to substantially remove said solvent, and thereby obtaining a substantially dry biological sample;

(c) maintaining the substantially dry biological sample without refrigeration for a time period of at least one day;

(d) resuspending or redissolving the substantially dry biological sample in a second biocompatible solvent, and thereby recovering the biological sample; and

(e) comparing biological activity of the recovered biological sample of (d) to the biological activity of a control biological sample that is fluidly contacted with the matrix material in the first biocompatible solvent, substantially dried in the matrix material, and maintained for at least one day without refrigeration in the absence of the candidate agent, wherein retention of substantially all of the biological activity by the biological sample that is maintained without refrigeration in the presence of the candidate agent and substantial loss of biological activity by the control biological sample that is maintained without refrigeration in the absence of the candidate agent indicates that said candidate agent is a biological inhibitor or a biochemical inhibitor, and thereby identifying the agent as a stabilizer of the biological sample.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second biocompatible solvent is selected from the group consisting of (i) a solvent that is the same as the first solvent;

and (ii) a solvent that is different from the first solvent.