HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING EMPLOYING COMBINATION OF DISPENSING WELL PLATE DEVICE AND ARRAY TAPE

• US 20110053786A1
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Douglas Scientific LLC
• Original Assignee: Douglas Scientific LLC
• Inventors: Schoeneck, Richard Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 8,685,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 506/7
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0293 for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00009 provided with a sample supporting tape, e.g. with absorbent zones
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

High throughput screening is performed by directing an array tape (60) provided with a plurality of wells arranged in rows and columns into a dispensing well plate device (25) having various row and column actuators (40, 50). With the wells containing samples to be tested, activating select ones of row and column actuators (40, 50) of the dispensing well plate device (25), as well causing relative shifting between the actuators (40, 50) and the array tape (60), enables fluid to be dispensed from one or more nozzles of the dispensing well plate device (25) into predetermined ones of the plurality of wells in a wide range of patterns.

Claims

1. Method for screening comprising:

providing a plurality of first reagents arranged in first and second columns and first and second rows defining a first array;

providing a first target including wells arranged in first and second columns and first and second rows defining a second array and including second reagents, with the first array corresponding to the second array;

aligning the first array of the first reagents with the wells of the first target and dispensing the first reagents;

providing a second target including wells arranged in first and second columns and first and second rows defining a third array, with the third array corresponding to the first array; and

aligning the first column of the first array of first reagents with the second column of the third array of wells of the second target and dispensing the first column of first reagents.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

aligning the second column of the first array of first reagents with the first column of the third array of wells of the second target and dispensing the second column of first reagents.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein providing the first target comprises providing a plurality of second reagents arranged in first and second columns and first and second rows;

and aligning the first and second columns and first and second rows of the second reagents with the first and second columns and first and second rows of the first target and dispensing the second reagents.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

aligning the first row of the second array of second reagents with the second row of the third array of wells of the second target and dispensing the first row of second reagents; and

aligning the second row of the second array of second reagents with the first row of the third array of wells of the second target and dispensing the second row of second reagents.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the first target and providing the second target comprises providing a carrier tape including the first target and the second target.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the plurality of first reagents comprises providing a dispensing well plate containing the plurality of first reagents;

and wherein dispensing the first reagents comprises actuating actuators to dispense the first reagents from the dispensing well plate.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the plurality of first reagents comprises:

providing a dispensing well plate including a plurality of nozzles arranged in first and second rows and first and second columns;

providing the first reagent in a prep vial;

mechanically placing the prep vial relative to the dispensing well plate; and

distributing through capillary action the first reagents from the prep vial to at least one of the nozzles of the dispensing well plate.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein distributing the first reagents comprises distributing through capillary action the first reagents from the prep vial to the nozzles of the first column.

9. Apparatus comprising, in combination:

a target including wells in a target array having columns and rows;

a first dispenser dispensing a plurality of first reagents with the first reagents in the first dispenser arranged in a first dispenser array including first and second columns and first and second rows, with the first dispenser movable relative to the target parallel to the rows; and

a second dispenser dispensing a plurality of second reagents with the second reagents in the second dispenser arranged in a second dispenser array including first and second columns and first and second rows, with the first and second dispenser arrays corresponding to the target array, with the second dispenser movable relative to the target parallel to the columns between a first position with the first and second rows aligned with the first and second rows of the target and a second position with the second row of the second dispenser aligned with the first row of the target and the first row of the target array being intermediate the first row of the second dispenser and the second row of the target array.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the target comprises a carrier tape including first and second sets of wells, with the carrier tape moving relative to the first dispenser.

11. Method for screening comprising:

providing a plurality of first reagents arranged with a spacing in a column;

providing a plurality of second reagents arranged with a spacing in a row;

providing first and second targets each including wells in an array having first and second columns and first and second rows, with the wells in the first and second columns being spaced corresponding to the spacing of the first reagents and the wells in the first and second rows being spaced corresponding to the spacing of the second reagents;

aligning the column of the plurality of the first reagents with the first column in the first target and dispensing the first reagents into the first column in the first target;

aligning the column of the plurality of first reagents with the second column in the second target and dispensing the first reagents into the second column in the second target;

aligning the row of the plurality of the second reagents with the first row in the first target and dispensing the second reagents into the first row in the first target; and

aligning the row of the plurality of second reagents with the second row in the second target and dispensing the second reagents into the second row in the second target.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein providing the plurality of first reagents comprises providing the plurality of first reagents arranged in first and second columns.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein providing the plurality of second reagents comprises providing the plurality of second reagents arranged in first and second rows.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein providing the first and second targets comprises providing a carrier tape including the first target and the second target.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein providing the plurality of first reagents comprises:

providing a dispensing well plate including a plurality of nozzles arranged in a column;

providing the first reagent in a prep vial;

mechanically placing the prep vial relative to the dispensing well plate; and

distributing through capillary action the first reagents from the prep vial to the plurality of nozzles arranged in the column.

16. Method for dispensing comprising:

providing a dispensing well plate including a plurality of nozzles;

providing a first reagent in a prep vial;

mechanically placing the prep vial relative to the dispensing well plate; and

distributing through capillary action the first reagent from the prep vial to at least one of the nozzles of the dispensing well plate.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein distributing the first reagent comprises distributing through capillary action the first reagent from the prep vial to the plurality of nozzles arranged in one column.