F. Hoffmann-la Roche Ag

Christoph Fattinger

Remo Anton Hochstrasser

Thomas Zumstein

Peter Berndt

Dieter Voegelin

A sorption micro-array () for sorbing a substance off an assay sample comprises a support () and a plurality of sorption elements (). The plurality of sorption elements () is arranged in a well defined geometry in connection with the support (), wherein the distance between each sorption element () and its adjacent sorption element () is predefined. Since all of the sorption elements () are arranged at a well defined location of the sorption micro-array (), e.g. in a row with well defined distances from each other, the output of an analysis of substances sorbed by each of the sorption elements () can exactly be allocated to a well defined location of an assay sample from which the substances have been sorbed. Like this, it is possible to provide an exact chemical output image of the micro-distribution of the substances of the assay sample. The sorption micro-array according to the invention allows a gentle fluidic pick up of substances essentially without impairing the substances wherein the location of the pick up on the assay sample is well defined.

Sorption micro-array

A stacker () for storing a plurality of microplates each having a top surface side and a bottom surface side opposed to the top surface side, comprises a housing and a removal gate () for removing a microplate of the plurality of microplates out of the housing. The stacker () is arranged to accommodate the plurality of microplates inside the housing such that the top surface side of one microplate of the plurality of microplates abuts on the bottom surface side of an adjacent microplate of the plurality of microplates and such that the housing adjoins to the plurality of microplates. Using such a stacker, the plurality of microplates can be arranged and stored in a compact manner wherein the single microplates of the plurality of microplates can still selectively and efficiently be accessed. Further, due to the controlled access to the plurality of microplates being arranged inside the housing of the described stackervia the removal gate, icing of the microplates can be minimized when the stacker is cooled for long term storage of samples arranged inside the microplates.

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Blauen, Switzerland

Christoph Fattinger