The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for generating capture probes on a substrate for identifying the location of analytes in a biological sample.

An embodiment provides a method, including: operating a motor to position sample fluid within a fluid channel of a cuvette; transmitting light through an optical chamber of the cuvette; measuring a value of received light that has been transmitted through the optical chamber; comparing the measured value of light to one or more thresholds; determining a position of the sample fluid within the fluid channel based on a comparison from the comparing step; and generating a response based upon the position of the sample fluid with the fluid channel. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Methods and systems for ordering assays which detect SNPs or gene expression are provided. The methods use PCR and RT-PCR procedures. Collections of stock assays are assembled using pre- and post-manufacturing quality control procedures and made available to consumers via the Internet. In addition, custom assays are prepared upon order from the consumer and these assays are also prepared using pre- and post-manufacturing quality control procedures. The assays are then delivered to the consumer.

A storage system for storing samples, such as frozen biological samples in RFID-tagged vials. The storage system has a plurality of lowest-level containers, such as sample boxes; a plurality of mid-level containers, such as shelves and racks; and a highest-level container, such as a mechanical freezer. Each lowest-level container receives a plurality of samples in a corresponding plurality of storage locations, each mid-level container receives two or more lowest-level containers, and the highest-level container receives the two or more mid-level containers. Each mid-level container and each lowest-level container has a corresponding indicator device. A controller sub-system tracks the locations of samples stored in the storage system. When a desired sample is to be retrieved from the storage system, the controller sub-system activates (a) the indicator device corresponding to the mid-level container containing the desired sample and (b) the indicator device corresponding to the lowest-level container containing the desired sample.

A test element analysis system for the analytical examination of a sample comprising: at least one evaluation device with at least one test element holder and at least one measuring device for measuring a change in a measuring zone of a test element; at least one barcode reader comprising at least one circuit board having a front side facing the barcode of the test element positioned in the test element holder and a reverse side facing away from the test element, wherein at least one electronic control element of the barcode reader is disposed on the circuit board and wherein the circuit board comprises at least one cavity penetrating the circuit board; at least one camera carrier element; and at least one camera electrically connected to the camera carrier element, with the camera carrier element and the camera being positioned such that the camera observes the barcode through the cavity.

A laboratory sample cassette (1) comprises a main body (2) having a writing surface (3), and at least two protrusions (14) extending from the writing surface (3). Each said protrusion (14) has substantially the same height from the writing surface (3).

A method of obtaining and analyzing at least one tissue sample includes forming, in a tissue container, first tracking data associated with the at least one tissue sample. Second tracking data is formed, in a transport container. The second tracking data is associated with the at least one tissue sample. The at least one tissue sample is placed in the tissue container. The first and second tracking data from the tissue container and the transport container are scanned with an electronic scanning system to ensure that the first and second tracking data are both associated with the removed tissue sample.

Customization of a universal reagent cartridge with a lyophilized target-specific PCR component reagent is disclosed. The universal reagent cartridge includes multiple chambers populated with predetermined non-target-specific reagents therein. A custom reagent storage device that stores a lyophilized, target-specific reagent is provided and is configured to be end user insertable into the universal reagent cartridge to customize the universal reagent cartridge with the target-specific reagent.

A specimen treating and measuring system according to the present invention comprises: a treatment part having a plurality of lanes for carrying out parallel processing of a plurality of specimens, and mounting cartridges in each of the plurality of lanes; a cartridge storing unit storing a plurality of types of cartridge to be used for different processes corresponding to the plurality of specimens; a sample storing unit storing and conveying sample tubes containing the plurality of specimens; a pickup unit transferring each of the plurality of types of cartridge to each lane, and transferring each of the plurality of specimens from the sample tubes to each of the plurality of lanes; and a control unit controlling the transfer of the plurality of types of cartridge and the transfer of the plurality of specimens, performed by the pickup unit.

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for tagging and acoustically characterizing containers.