Inventors:
David D. Clark - Longmont CO
Jeffrey W. Steaffens - Lafayette CO
John Dorson - Lafayette CO
Ian Wells - Escondido CA
Alan J. Fujii - Newport Beach CA
James E. Maynard - Boulder CO
James Baker - Dorchester MA
John Zeis - San Marcos CA
Charles Bickoff - Sharon MA
Richard D. McEachern - Escondido CA
Kunio Kohga - Fujisawa, JP
Andrew Ghusson - Northboro MA
Assignee:
Thermo Biostar, Inc. - Louisville CO
International Classification:
G01N 2100
US Classification:
422 58, 422 61, 422 62, 422 63, 422 64, 422 681, 422 56, 422 72, 422100, 422 81, 422101, 422 65, 422 99, 435 71, 436 43, 436 46, 436 47
Abstract:
The present invention relates to cost effective analytical instruments for determining the presence or amount of an analyte in a sample. The analytical instruments utilize an assay cartridge which has a sample receiving port and a rotatable carousel containing a plurality of reagent wells. Each reagent well includes a piston element for delivery of reagent to a test surface. The instrument is capable of indexing the assay cartridge to deliver sample and reagents to a test surface in a predetermined and flexibile manner, thus providing an assay protocol which is specific to the type of sample under analysis. The invention also relates to components, features, disposables, reagent delivery systems, accessories, and methods for using such instruments. Appropriate applications include infectious disease testing, cancer detection and monitoring, therapeutic drug level monitoring, allergy testing, environmental testing, food testing, diagnostic testing of human and veterinary samples, and off-line process testing.