Device and Method for Thermal Cycling

• US 20120021424A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sandell, Donald R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,993,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1805 Conductive heating, heat from thermostatted solids is conducted to receptacles, e.g. heating plates, blocks
• 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: B01L 9/523 for multisample carriers, e.g. used for microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]

Abstract

A thermal cycling device for performing nucleic acid amplification on a plurality of biological samples positioned in a sample well tray. The thermal cycling device includes a sample block assembly, an optical detection system, and a sample well tray holder configured to hold the sample well tray. The sample block assembly is adapted for translation between a first position permitting the movement of the sample well tray into alignment with sample block assembly, and a second position, upward relative to the first position, where the sample block assembly contacts the sample well tray. A method of performing nucleic acid amplification on a plurality of biological samples positioned in a sample well tray in a thermal cycling device is also provided.

Claims

1. A thermal cycling device, comprising:

a sample well tray holder having a tray-receiving region for holding a sample well tray;

a sample block assembly comprising a sample block configured to receive the sample well tray;

an optical detection system mounted above the sample block assembly; and

a positioning mechanism connected to the sample block assembly, wherein the positioning mechanism is adapted to move the sample block along a predetermined vertical path relative to the optical detection system.

2. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, wherein the sample block assembly further comprises at least one heating element.

3. The thermal cycling device of claim 2, wherein the at least one heating element is a Peltier device.

4. The thermal cycling device of claim 2, wherein the sample block assembly further comprising a heat sink.

5. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, wherein the sample block is configured to receive a 96-well sample tray.

6. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, wherein the sample block is configured to receive a 384-well sample tray.

7. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, wherein the sample block is configured to receive a microcard.

8. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, wherein the optical detection system is mounted to reduce misalignment of optical components.

9. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, wherein the optical detection system includes a CCD camera.

10. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism moves the sample block to a first position permitting the sample well tray holder to align the sample tray with the sample block assembly.

11. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism moves the sample block to a second position permitting the sample block to contact the sample well tray.

12. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a plurality of links.

13. The thermal cycling device of claim 12, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured so that movement of one of the plurality of links causes movement of another of the plurality of links, thereby causing the translation of the sample block assembly between the first and second positions.

14. The thermal cycling device of claim 12, wherein the positioning mechanism further comprises a motor, and further wherein the plurality of links comprises a first link, a second link, and a third link, and further wherein a first end of the first link is rotatably connected to the motor, a second end of the first link is rotatably connected to the first end of both the second link and the third link, the second link having a second end rotatably connected to a stationary pivot point, the third link having a second end rotatably connected to the sample block assembly, and further wherein the motor causes the first link to translate, thereby causing the second end of the third link to translate the sample block assembly between the first and second positions.

15. The thermal cycling device of claim 1, further comprising a fan positioned adjacent the sample block assembly.

16. A method of performing nucleic acid amplification on a plurality of biological samples positioned in a sample well tray in a thermal cycling device, comprising the steps of:

placing the sample well tray onto a tray-receiving region of a sample well tray holder;

moving the sample well tray holder and sample well tray into the thermal cycling device until the sample well tray is aligned with a sample block assembly positioned beneath the sample well tray;

moving the sample block assembly from a first position permitting the sample well tray holder to align the sample tray with the sample block assembly to a second position permitting the sample block to contact the sample well tray; and

detecting the samples while thermal cycling the device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of detecting includes using a CCD camera.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the sample well tray is a 96-well sample tray.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the sample well tray is a 384-well sample tray.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the sample well tray is a microcard.