System and methods for sampling materials

• US 8,616,072 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Original Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Inventors: Boeke, Jef D., Li, Min, Zhu, Heng, Long, Shunyou
• Primary Examiner(s): Raevis, Robert R
• Application Number:
  US12/223,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20100294046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,513 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/863.11
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 33/07 Dosage or metering devices therefore
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/22 Means for packing or storing viable microorganisms casings for storing cell samples A61B10/0096, preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/42 Low-temperature sample treatment, e.g. cryofixation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/042 moved independently, e.g. by fork manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0425 Stacks, magazines or elevators for plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1032 Dilution or aliquotting
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J

Abstract

Provided herein are systems and methods for storage, retrieval and sampling of materials.

Claims

1. A system for retrieving a subset of a stored sample, comprising:

an automated freezer comprising a dispenser,

a climate controlled receiving chamber adjacent to the dispenser,

a transfer device within the receiving chamber,

a robot operatively connected to the transfer device and positioned to access the subset of a stored sample,

wherein the robot comprises a tip, said tip being selected from the group consisting of a metal tip with high thermal heat capacity, metal pin, a ceramic pin, a hollow pin, and a core sampler for retrieving a portion of a sample, and

wherein the tip comprises a volume control mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispenser communicates with the climate controlled receiving chamber through a port.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot comprises a sample locator or a rotating tip station for maintaining sampling tips at a sampling temperature.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sample locator comprises a barcode reader.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tip sterilizer positioned in functional proximity to the robot.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more destination plates for receiving retrieved samples positioned in functional proximity to the robot.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated freezer is a vertical or horizontal storage freezer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the climate controlled receiving chamber comprises one or more of a humidity controller, an atmospheric gas control mechanism, a temperature controlling mechanism, or a reading device to identify the containers as they are inserted into and retrieved from the chamber.

9. A system for retrieving a subset of a stored sample, comprising:

an automated freezer comprising a dispenser,

a climate controlled receiving chamber adjacent to the dispenser,

a transfer device within the receiving chamber,

a robot operatively connected to the transfer device and positioned to access the subset of a stored sample, wherein the robot comprises a tip, and

a heat sensor to monitor the temperature in the vicinity of the tip.

10. A system for retrieving a subset of a stored sample, comprising:

an automated freezer comprising a dispenser,

a climate controlled receiving chamber adjacent to the dispenser,

a transfer device within the receiving chamber,

a robot operatively connected to the transfer device and positioned to access the subset of a stored sample, and

a delidder within the receiving chamber.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the robot comprises a tip.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tip is selected from the group consisting of a metal tip with high thermal heat capacity, metal pin, a ceramic pin, a hollow pin, and a core sampler for retrieving a portion of a sample.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the tip comprises a tip head.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the tip is disposable.

15. A method for sampling a frozen sample, comprising:

retrieving a sample in a container from a freezer,

transferring the container to a climate controlled receiving chamber, and

sampling the sample with a robot and transferring the container to the freezer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising delidding the container in the climate controlled chamber.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein retrieving the sample comprises ejecting the container to an exterior of the freezer for transport to the robot.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein sampling comprises transiently thawing at least a portion of the sample.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the sample rapidly refreezes upon return to the freezer.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the container comprises a multiwell plate.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein adjacent samples to the sample being sampled are not thawed.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising sealing the container with a seal prior to freezing in the freezer a first time.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the seal comprises a foil seal, a plastic seal, a polymer seal or a septum.