Affymetrix, Inc.

Syntex (u.s.a.) Inc.

Biotrack, LLC

Donald M Besemer

James L Winkler

Virginia W Goss

Peter E Lobban

Michael C Norris

Andrew B Carlson

Steven V Muller

Robert R Burnside

Michael M Gorin

Robert D Cook

Donald F Munro

A bodyhaving a cavityfor mounting a substratefabricated with probe sequences at known locations according to the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854 and PCT WO 92/10092 or others, is provided. The cavity includes inletsandfor introducing selected fluids into the cavity to contact the probes. Accordingly, a commercially feasible device for use in high throughput assay systems is provided.

Bioarray chip reaction apparatus and its manufacture

A device for transporting cartridges comprises a housing for holding a plurality of cartridges in a temperature controlled environment. A transport system is also provided and has a grasping mechanism for grasping one of the cartridges. The transport system is further used to remove the cartridge from the housing and to place the cartridge into a scanner.

Cartridge loader and methods

A body having a cavity for mounting a substrate fabricated with probe sequences at known locations according to the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854 and PCT WO 92/10092 or others, is provided. The cavity includes inlets and for introducing selected fluids into the cavity to contact the probes. Accordingly, a commercially feasible device for use in high throughput assay systems is provided.

Hybridization device and method

Method and apparatus for hybridization

A package for hybridization includes a substrate and a housing. The substrate has a first surface that includes an array of probes having biological polymers immobilized thereon. The housing includes a fluid cavity constructed and arranged for hybridization of a target to a probe of the probe array located inside the fluid cavity. The housing also includes a bar code.

The present invention generally provides novel apparatuses for rapidly and efficiently carrying out repeated hybridizations of a target nucleic acid to an array of nucleic acid probes. The apparatus generally includes a fluid delivery system, a fluid mixing system, a temperature control system and a process control system integrated into a single device.

Fluidics station injection needles with distal end and side ports and method of using

Agitation systems for reversibly directing fluid samples flow back and forth across a nucleic acid array, thereby promoting hybridization between targets in the fluid sample and probes on the nucleic acid array.

A body 300 having a cavity 310 for mounting a substrate 120 fabricated with probe sequences at known locations according to the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854 and PCT WO 92/10092 or others, is provided. The cavity includes inlets 350 and 360 for introducing selected fluids into the cavity to contact the probes. Accordingly, a commercially feasible device for use in high throughput assay systems is provided.

Method and apparatus for packaging a probe array

Fluidics station with a mounting system and method of using

Chip packaging device

A body 300 having a cavity 310 for mounting a chip 120 fabricated with probe sequences at known locations according to the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854 and PCT WO 92/10092 or others, is provided. The cavity includes inlets 350 and 360 for introducing selected fluids into the cavity to contact the probes. Accordingly, a commercially feasible device for use in high throughput assay systems is provided.

Apparatus for packaging a chip

A capillary stop-flow junction located in a housing at an end of a capillary passageway used to transport a liquid and at the beginning of a non-capillary internal chamber in the housing, in which the stop-flow junction contains an improvement which comprises 1) means for selectively trapping a gas in the capillary passageway and non-capillary chamber, wherein when the means for trapping is activated and the liquid enters the capillary passageway, the gas is compressed by the liquid as the liquid flows through the capillary channel and stops flowing at the stop-flow junction; or 2) a stop-flow nozzle surrounding the capillary passageway and projecting into the chamber; or 3) the stop-flow junction being formed from a single housing body member; or 4) a rupture junction in the capillary pathway, wherein the rupture junction is a stop-flow junction providing less maximum available back pressure than the capillary stop-flow junction. Diluters capable of serial dilution that use the stop-flow junctions of the invention are also described.

Capillary stop-flow junction having improved stability against

An assembly is described for accurately and precisely controlling the position of a plunger in a syringe to deliver precise fluid volumes. The assembly includes a motor coupled to a lead screw that drives a bearing block along a linear guide rod to move the plunger of the syringe in a linear fashion. The position of the plunger is accurately controlled by attaching a digital encoder to the rotating motor shaft. The encoder and associated electronics output to a controlling processor that generates a series of regular pulses, typically 300 to 500 responsive to each motor revolution. Utilizing appropriate gear ratios of the motor and the lead screw, the number of pulses per full syringe stroke in typical applications can be on the order of one hundred thousand. The final position and the motion of the plunger (velocity and acceleration) can be controlled to within a few encoder pulses, thus precisely controlling the rate of delivery of the fluid and the volume of the fluid actually delivered by the syringe. A closed positive feedback system is utilized to detect positional errors and obtain improved precision and accuracy.

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos Hills, CA, United States of America

Donald M Besemer