Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.

Alexandra Dea Nagy

Michael Otter

Gary A Pestano

Karl Eric Garsha

Jerome W Kosmeder, Ii

William Kenneth Day

Phillip C Miller

Eric J May

Chol Steven Yun

Jan Froehlich

Ray B Nagle

Ryan Dittamore

Connie Cortez

Karl Garsha

Ubaradka Sathyanarayana

The disclosure provides methods for automated characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), for example using automated tissue strainers. In specific examples, such methods permit characterizing a prostate cancer sample by simultaneously or contemporaneously detecting ERG rearrangements and PTEN deletions in the same CTC. Also provided are kits that can be used with such methods.

Automated analysis of circulating tumor cells

Multiple modality contrast can be used to produce images that can be combined and rendered to produce images similar to those produced with wavelength absorbing stains viewed under transmitted white light illumination. Images obtained with other complementary contrast modalities can be presented using engineered color schemes based on classical contrast methods used to reveal the same anatomical structures and histochemistry, thereby providing relevance to medical training and experience. Dark-field contrast images derived from refractive index and fluorescent DAPI counterstain images are combined to produce images similar to those obtained with conventional H&E staining for pathology interpretation. Such multi-modal image data can be streamed for live navigation of histological samples, and can be combined with molecular localizations of genetic DNA probes (FISH), sites of mRNA expression (mRNA-ISH), and immunohistochemical (IHC) probes localized on the same tissue sections, used to evaluate and map tissue sections prepared for imaging mass spectrometry.

Multi-modality contrast and brightfield context rendering for enhanced pathology determination and multi-analyte detection in tissue

Embodiments of a composition for stabilizing fluorescent signal of nanoparticles and methods for its use are disclosed. In some embodiments, the composition has a pH from 7 to 10 and includes borate, protein and/or protein hydrolysate, an amine, a preservative, and a nonionic surfactant. In particular embodiments, the amine is an N-ethanol substituted amine, such as ethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, N-methyldiethanolamine, N,N-dimethylethanolamine, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, a fluorescent particle solution, such as a quantum dot solution or quantum dot conjugate solution, is diluted in the composition and stored at 4&#xb0; C. In certain embodiments, the fluorescence intensity of the diluted fluorescent particle remains substantially the same when stored at 4&#xb0; C. for at least one month or at least three months. In particular embodiments, a diluted quantum dot conjugate is used to detect a hybridized probe or a protein antigen.

Composition and method for stabilizing fluorescent particles

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Oro Valley, AZ, United States of America

Alexandra Dea Nagy