Reference microplates and methods for making and using the reference microplates

• US 7,776,609 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Piech, Garrett A., Shedd, Gordon M., Pastel, David A., Zainul, Mohamed A., Shelton, Brett C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sasaki; Shogo
• Application Number:
  US12/692,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20100118315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 204 Days
• Field of Search: 422/102, 435/288.4, 4353052-3054, 356/246, 264/1.1, 264/1.24, 264 25- 27, 436/165
• US Class Current: 436/165
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/168 Specific optical properties, e.g. reflective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2893 Preparing calibration standards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0325 Cells for testing reactions, e.g. containing reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0332 with temperature control control of temperature G05D23/00; cryostats F17C3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00594 Quality control, including calibration or testing of components of the analyser
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates

Abstract

A reference microplate is described herein which can be used to help calibrate and troubleshoot an optical interrogation system. In one embodiment, the reference microplate has a frame with an array of wells each of which contains an optical biosensor and each optical biosensor is at least partially coated with a substance (e.g., elastomer, optical epoxy). In another embodiment, the reference microplate in addition to having its optical biosensors at least partially covered with a substance (e.g., elastomer, optical epoxy) also has a controllable heating device attached thereto which is used to heat the optical biosensors.

Claims

1. A method for using a reference microplate, said method comprising the steps of:

placing the reference microplate within an optical interrogation system, wherein said reference microplate includes;

an upper plate having a plurality of through-holes which forms sidewalls for a plurality of wells;

a lower plate, attached to said upper plate, which forms bottom surfaces for said plurality of wells, wherein said lower plate has a biosensor located on said bottom surface of each well and said biosensor has sensing region extending into each well; and

a hardened non-biochemical substance, having a refractive index magnitude within a range of 1.27-1.5, coating said biosensor and at least partially filling one of said wells such that said hardened non-biochemical substance has a depth greater than said sensing region of said biosensor associated with said one of the wells; and

interrogating at least one of the biosensors within the reference microplate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said hardened non-biochemical substance is a rubbery elastomer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said hardened non-biochemical substance is a solid optical epoxy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said hardened non-biochemical substance enables a resonance wavelength to be produced within a wavelength band of interest of the optical interrogation system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling a temperature of the biosensors by using a controllable heating device attached to said reference microplate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said controllable heating device includes:

a thermocouple;

a thermistor;

or

a heat sink.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to calibrate said optical interrogation system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to troubleshoot said optical interrogation system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to check an optical alignment of said optical interrogation system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to check a position of said reference microplate within said optical interrogation system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to determine how small of a wavelength shift can be measured by said optical interrogation system.

12. A method for making a reference microplate, said method comprising the step of:

placing a non-biochemical substance, having a refractive index magnitude within a range of 1.27-1.5, on top of a biosensor located within a well of a microplate, wherein the biosensor has a sensing region extending into the well, wherein the biosensor is coated with the non-biochemical substance, and wherein the well is at least partially filled with the non-biochemical substance such that the non-biochemical substance has a depth greater than the sensing region of the biosensor; and

curing the non-biochemical substance placed on top of the biosensor located within the well of the microplate to form a hardened non-biochemical substance on top of the biosensor located within the well of the microplate.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of repeating the placing step and the curing step so that multiple biosensors are coated with the hardened non-biochemical substance and that multiple wells are at least partially filled with the hardened non-biochemical substance.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said hardened non-biochemical substance is a rubbery elastomer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said hardened non-biochemical substance is a solid optical epoxy.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of attaching a controllable heating device to the microplate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said controllable heating device includes:

a thermocouple;

a thermistor;

or

a heat sink.