Bio-rad Laboratories, Inc.

Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Life Technologies Corporation

Xy, Inc.

Bio-rad Technologies, Inc.

Daniel Nelson Fox

Nathan Michael Gaskill-Fox

Susan Hunter

Thomas L Thrasher

Kevin P Raley

Lincoln T Gulley

Matthias J G Ottenberg

Angela L Goldfain

Rodney Carl Harris

George C Malachowski

Tidhar Sadeh

Richard A Miles

David Neckels

Nathan M Fox

Christopher D Lofstrom

Theodore W Jochum

Matthias JG Ottenberg

David C Neckels

Disclosed is an integrated biocontainment cell sorter that isolates portions of the cell sorter that can create contamination. Two containment systems are utilized. A main cabinet containment system contains input samples. An aerosol management containment area includes a nozzle chamber with a nozzle and a sort chamber with sort plates and collection media that collect a droplet stream from the nozzle. The main cabinet is maintained at a first low pressure and clean air is recirculated under a positive pressure. The aerosol management containment area is kept at a second low pressure, which is lower than the first pressure, so that contamination does not leak from the aerosol management containment area into the main cabinet containment area. A sliding sash window is located over an access opening in the main cabinet and can be moved to access different portions of the main cabinet without changing the substantially constant first low pressure in the main cabinet.

Integrated biocontainment cell sorter

Disclosed is a dual-stage fluidics system that has reduced pulsation. This system uses inexpensive peristaltic pumps and two reservoirs that dampen pulsations in pressure. Peristaltic pumps are used as air pressure pumps and sheath fluid pumps that are placed between the two pressurized reservoirs and isolate the two reservoirs. Since the two reservoirs are maintained at a substantially even pressure, pulsations are reduced so that the peristaltic pumps essentially provide air flow and sheath fluid flow as needed.

Dual-stage fluidics system with reduced pulsation

Disclosed is a sheath delivery system that uses a continuous flow of sheath fluid into a pressurized internal reservoir that substantially matches the outflow of sheath fluid through the nozzle of a flow cytometer. A substantially constant level of the sheath fluid is maintained. If the sheath fluid level falls below a desired level, or goes above a desired level, a dampened control system is used to reach the desired level. In addition, air pressure in the pressurized internal container is controlled so that an external sheath container can be removed and refilled with additional sheath fluid without stopping the sheath delivery system. Differences in pressure are detected by a droplet camera, which measures the droplet breakoff point to determine the pressure of the sheath fluid in the nozzle.

Flow rate balanced, dynamically adjustable sheath delivery system for flow cytometry

Methods and systems for pumping fluid through tubing are provided. Methods include orbiting one or more first rollers at multiple angular speeds around the periphery of a substantially circular first disk having a first radius with each first roller travelling at the same angular speed as the other first rollers, orbiting second rollers at a second angular speed around a substantially circular second disk having substantially the first radius, and increasing the pressure of fluid in tubing between one first roller and one second roller by causing the one or more first rollers to orbit at a first angular speed greater than the second angular speed so the one first roller moves along and fully compresses the tubing in a first section of the first disk, and simultaneously causing the one second roller to move along and fully compress the tubing in a first section of the second disk.

Continuous sample delivery peristaltic pump

Disclosed is an automated method and apparatus for automatically setting a drop delay period by detecting calibration particles in a waste stream. The drop delay is incremented over a series of drop delays and the number of calibration particles in the waste stream is detected for each drop delay. The drop delay is selected which has the least number of calibration particles in the waste stream.

Automated and accurate drop delay for flow cytometry

Disclosed is a system and method for characterizing optical filters in a flow cytometer and optionally checking the operation of detectors in the flow cytometer. In some embodiments, the system may utilize an LED board having an opening through which the fluorescence and side scatter beams, rays, or images pass and light emitting diodes around the opening that emit light having different spectral profiles. The different spectral profiles allow the system to identify the optical filters that are placed in the flow cytometer, to verify detector operation, to assist in instrumentation troubleshooting, and to provide a quantitative reference for detector comparison.

Multi-spectral filter profiling and quality control for flow cytometry

A method and apparatus for pumping fluid through tubing are provided. The method includes orbiting first rollers around the periphery of a first disk at a first tangential speed in a first angular sector and a slower, second tangential speed in a second angular sector, orbiting second rollers around the periphery of a second disk at the second tangential speed, and increasing the pressure of fluid in tubing between one first roller and one second roller by causing the one first roller to fully compress the tubing at the first tangential speed and simultaneously causing the one second roller to fully compress the tubing at the second tangential speed. The apparatus includes a first disk with a recess in its periphery, the first angular sector with a nominal first radius, and a second angular sector with a nominal second radius; and a second disk with the nominal first radius and a recess in its periphery.

Disclosed is a two station system for a flow cytometer that includes a sample station and a wash station. During washing, the user has access to the sample station to insert a new sample. This increases the efficiency of the workflow process. Rotary clamps are used to automatically clamp the sample station and wash station to the system. A low volume pressurized cavity is used to bring the pressure of the sample to a desired pressure, which further increases productivity of the system. A transparent body is provided in the sample station so a user can view the sample during the sampling process. A backwash process is used to clean the sample injection tube and the sample uptake tube. In addition, the wash station is designed to rinse the outer surface of the sample uptake tube.

Two station sample and washing system

Disclosed is a threshold selector that selects a threshold by generating a histogram from a detector signal and a flow cytometer. The detector signal includes both data and noise. A histogram is generated, which includes height data from the pulses of the detector signal as well as noise. The flow cytometer can be operated without samples to generate a histogram that includes only noise. The threshold signal can then be selected by selecting an intensity level on the histogram that is between the noise and data.

Threshold selector for flow cytometer

Disclosed is a system that can mix deionized water and concentrated sheath fluid to provide sheath fluid in a flow cytometer system having a desired concentration. Flow rates are low, which substantially match the flow rate of sheath fluid through the nozzle, so that turbulence and air bubbles are not formed in the sheath fluid. The available deionized water is then used for back flushing and removal of sample cells and deposited salts from the sheath fluid.

Growing community of inventors

Bellvue, CO, United States of America

Daniel Nelson Fox