The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transferring materials such as cells or microbial colonies during sample preparation. The apparatus comprises a filament having a first end for carrying the materials; a head portion adapted to movably receive at least part of the filament; wherein the filament is movable such that the first end protrudes by a pre-determined length from the head portion to allow transfer of the materials to and from the first end. The method comprises steps of arranging a first end of a filament to contact the source location to load the material at the first end; arranging the first end to contact the target location to unload at least part of the materials from the first end; cutting a length of the filament from the first end to generate a fresh end of the filament which is free of the material.

An analysis device includes a guide-in section, a placement section, an illumination member, a pressing member, and a measurement member. The guide-in section is configured to guide a rectangular block shaped analysis kit containing a sample. The analysis kit is placed on the placement section in the guide-in section. The illumination member is inserted into an insertion hole formed in the analysis kit, contacts a bottom of the insertion hole, and illuminates light onto the sample. The pressing member is configured by a separate body to the illumination member and presses the analysis kit such that the analysis kit placed on the placement section is sandwiched between the pressing member and the placement section and retained at a predetermined position. The measurement section measures a component present in the sample using light illuminated from the illumination member onto the sample in the analysis kit placed on the placement section.

An analysis device that includes a placement section, a pressing member, and a measurement member, has an analysis kit including a chip provided with a capillary through which a sample flows and a cartridge superimposed on the chip, and in which a liquid reservoir placed therein to enable a component present in sample can be measured in a state in which the chip and the cartridge have been fitted together. The analysis kit is placed on the placement section. The pressing member presses the analysis kit in a direction in which the cartridge is superimposed on the chip to sandwich the analysis kit between the pressing member and the placement section, and to fit the chip and the cartridge together. The measurement member that measures the component present in the sample in the analysis kit in which the chip and the cartridge have been fitted together.

An analysis device employs an analysis kit including a chip provided with a capillary through which a sample flows and a cartridge superimposed on the chip and provided with a liquid reservoir. The analysis device includes a guide-in section into which the analysis kit is guided, a placement section on which the analysis kit placed so as to be supported, a pusher member that pushes the analysis kit from one side face of the analysis kit, contact members that oppose another side face on an opposite side in the horizontal direction to the one side face of the analysis kit placed on the placement section, and contact the other side face of the analysis kit being pushed in by the pusher member so as to position the analysis kit in the horizontal direction, and a measurement member that measures a component present in the sample in the analysis kit.

An analysis device includes a guide-in section, a piercing member, an airtight member, a gas introduction member, and a measurement member. The guide-in section is configured to guide a rectangular block shaped analysis kit containing a sample. The piercing member pierces a sealing film at an upper face of a liquid reservoir formed in the analysis kit. The airtight member forms an airtight space against the analysis kit at the periphery of a location pierced by the piercing member. The gas introduction member introduces gas into the airtight space. The measurement member measures a component present in the sample in the analysis kit guided into the guide-in section.

The systems and methods disclosed herein permit automated preparation of biological specimens for examination. The disclosed systems and methods provide fast, efficient, and highly uniform specimen processing using minimal quantities of fluids. The methods include at least a fixing phase for fixing a biological specimen to a substrate such as a microscope slide, a staining phase for staining the specimen, and a rinsing phase for rinsing the specimen. One or more of the fixing, staining, and rinsing phases include one or more agitation cycles for distributing reagents evenly and uniformly across the specimen. The systems can be implemented as a standalone device or as a component in a larger system for preparing and examining biological specimens.

The systems and methods disclosed herein permit automated preparation of biological specimens for examination. The disclosed systems and methods provide fast, efficient, and highly uniform specimen processing using minimal quantities of fluids. The methods include at least a fixing phase for fixing a biological specimen to a substrate such as a microscope slide, a staining phase for staining the specimen, and a rinsing phase for rinsing the specimen. One or more of the fixing, staining, and rinsing phases include one or more agitation cycles for distributing reagents evenly and uniformly across the specimen. The systems can be implemented as a standalone device or as a component in a larger system for preparing and examining biological specimens.

The objective of this disclosure is to provide a dispensing apparatus that is capable of precisely dispense micro volume liquid samples without physically damaging the nozzle tip or the liquid containers. An example of the present disclosure images a droplet of a liquid sample, and dispenses the liquid sample using an image of the droplet.

A microdeposition pin having a contact surface with at least one concave edge for creating microarrays and the like. The microdeposition pin may be used either alone or with a plurality of microdeposition pins in conjunction with a holder. The concave edge of the pin is especially adapted for helping to control the spreading of a deposited material. By selectively controlling the spread of the reagent composition from the microdeposition pin, the flow of the reagent composition from the deposition target area may be reduced. Sensor strips having raised substrate features with limited or no spreading of the reagent composition beyond the target area are disclosed.

The present invention provides systems, devices, apparatuses and methods for automated bioprocessing. Examples of protocols and bioprocessing procedures suitable for the present invention include but are not limited to: immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, recombinant protein isolation, nucleic acid separation and isolation, protein labeling, separation and isolation, cell separation and isolation, food safety analysis and automatic bead based separation. In some embodiments, the invention provides automated systems, automated devices, automated cartridges and automated methods of western blot processing. Other embodiments include automated systems, automated devices, automated cartridges and automated methods for separation, preparation and purification of nucleic acids, such as DNA or RNA or fragments thereof, including plasmid DNA, genomic DNA, bacterial DNA, viral DNA and any other DNA, and for automated systems, automated devices, automated cartridges and automated methods for processing, separation and purification of proteins, peptides and the like.