METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES IN SAMPLES

• US 20130217040A1
• Filed: 06/17/2011
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Queen's University At Kingston, Pathogen Detection Systems, Inc. (Veolia Environnement SA)
• Original Assignee: Queen's University At Kingston, Pathogen Detection Systems, Inc. (Veolia Environnement SA)
• Inventors: Brown, R. Stephen, Marcotte, Eric, Wilton, Doug, Gallant, Peter, Dolphin, David, Underwood, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,097,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.72
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6417 Spectrofluorimetric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6484 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/12 Meat; fish
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1826 organic contamination in water

Abstract

A system for detecting presence of an organism having an enzyme in a sample, comprising: a cartridge for containing the sample and a substrate such that the enzyme can react with the substrate to produce a biological molecule; a partitioning element mounted in a recess in a base of the cartridge, the partitioning element allowing partitioning of the biological molecule thereinto; a light source for irradiating the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element; and, a detector for detecting fluorescence of the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element, the detected fluorescence being indicative of presence of the organism in the sample; wherein the light source is in a raised cartridge mount of the system that mates with the recess in the base of the cartridge.

Claims

1. A system for detecting presence of an organism having an enzyme in a sample, comprising:

a cartridge for containing the sample and a substrate such that the enzyme can react with the substrate to produce a biological molecule;

a partitioning element mounted in a recess in a base of the cartridge, the partitioning element allowing partitioning of the biological molecule thereinto;

a light source for irradiating the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element; and

,

a detector for detecting fluorescence of the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element, the detected fluorescence being indicative of presence of the organism in the sample;

wherein the light source is in a raised cartridge mount of the system that mates with the recess in the base of the cartridge.

2. The system of claim 1 and further comprising a test chamber for receiving the cartridge.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the test chamber is an incubator having a heating system associated therewith.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the raised cartridge mount is positioned at an angle within the system to minimize residue build-up on optical components and avoid contact of the sample with a lid of the cartridge.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the angle is about 25 degrees.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the raised cartridge mount includes a sensor for detecting whether the cartridge is present.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (“

LED”

).

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the LED is mounted at an angle to reduce direct reflection of light from the light source off of the base of the cartridge toward optical components of the system and to optimize detection of fluorescence of the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the angle is about 65 degrees.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the recess has a depth that is selected to reduce contact of the partitioning element with contaminants.

22. The method of claim 1 and further comprising receiving the cartridge in a test chamber.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the test chamber is an incubator having a heating system associated therewith.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the recess has a depth that is selected to reduce contact of the partitioning element with contaminants.

11. An apparatus for detecting presence of an organism having an enzyme in a sample, comprising:

a test chamber for receiving a cartridge for containing the sample;

a light source for irradiating a biological molecule partitioned into a partitioning element of the cartridge; and

,

a detector for detecting fluorescence of the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element, the detected fluorescence being indicative of presence of the organism in the sample;

wherein the light source is in a raised cartridge mount of the test chamber that mates with a recess in a base of the cartridge.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the cartridge contains a substrate such that the enzyme can react with the substrate to produce the biological molecule, wherein the partitioning element is mounted in the recess in the base of the cartridge, and wherein the partitioning element allows partitioning of the biological molecule thereinto.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the test chamber is an incubator having a heating system associated therewith.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the raised cartridge mount is positioned at an angle within the apparatus to minimize residue build-up on optical components and avoid contact of the sample with a lid of the cartridge.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the angle is about 25 degrees.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the raised cartridge mount includes a sensor for detecting whether the cartridge is present.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (“

LED”

).

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the LED is mounted at an angle to reduce direct reflection of light from the light source off of the base of the cartridge toward optical components of the apparatus and to optimize detection of fluorescence of the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the angle is about 65 degrees.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the recess has a depth that is selected to reduce contact of the partitioning element with contaminants.

21. A method for detecting presence of an organism having an enzyme in a sample, comprising:

containing the sample and a substrate in a cartridge such that the enzyme can react with the substrate to produce a biological molecule;

mounting a partitioning element in a recess in a base of the cartridge, the partitioning element allowing partitioning of the biological molecule thereinto;

irradiating the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element with a light source; and

,

detecting fluorescence of the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element with a detector, the detected fluorescence being indicative of presence of the organism in the sample;

wherein the light source is in a raised cartridge mount that mates with the recess in the base of the cartridge.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the raised cartridge mount is positioned at an angle to minimize residue build-up on optical components and avoid contact of the sample with a lid of the cartridge.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the angle is about 25 degrees.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the raised cartridge mount includes a sensor for detecting whether the cartridge is present.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (“

LED”

).

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the LED is mounted at an angle to reduce direct reflection of light from the light source off of the base of the cartridge toward optical components and to optimize detection of fluorescence of the biological molecule partitioned into the partitioning element.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the angle is about 65 degrees.