Columbia University

Guy Garty

David Jonathan Brenner

Gerhard Randers-Pehrson

Nabil Simaan

Y Lawrence Yao

Jian Zhang

Aparajita Dutta

Oleksandra V Lyulko

Alessio Salerno

Anubha Bhatla

In an apparatus and system for focusing optics an objective lens is configured to collect light from a region of an object to be imaged, said region having a feature with a known geometric characteristic, wherein the geometric characteristic is known before the feature is imaged by the optical device. A focusing sensor is configured to observe a shape of the feature and a splitter is configured to split the collected light into a first portion and a second portion, and directing said first portion through a weak cylindrical lens to the focusing sensor. A processor is configured to analyze the observed shape and determine whether the observed shape of the feature has a predetermined relationship to the known geometric characteristic and a mechanism is configured to autofocus the optical device by moving at least one of the objective lens and the object to be imaged in response to the analysis and determination of the processor. In some embodiments, the feature can be a fluorescent bead. In some embodiments, the splitting step can be accomplished with a dichroic mirror. In other embodiments, the splitting step can be accomplished with a partial mirror. In some embodiments, the known geometric characteristic of the feature can be substantially spherical, the observed shape can be an oval, and the predetermined relationship can be an allowable aspect ratio of the oval. In some embodiments, the allowable aspect ratio can be approximately one.

System and method for focusing optics

Systems and methods for focusing optics are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, methods are disclosed for focusing an optical device, wherein the methods can include: collecting light from a region of an object to be imaged with an objective lens, said region having a feature with a known geometric characteristic; splitting the collected light into a first portion and a second portion, and directing said first portion through a weak cylindrical lens to a focusing sensor, and directing said second portion to an imager; observing, with said focusing sensor, a shape of the feature; focusing the optical device by moving at least one of the objective lens and the object to be imaged until the observed shape of the feature has a predetermined relationship to the known geometric characteristic. In some embodiments, the feature can be a fluorescent bead. In some embodiments, the splitting step can be accomplished with a dichroic mirror. In other embodiments, the splitting step can be accomplished with a partial mirror. In some embodiments, the known geometric characteristic of the feature can be substantially spherical, the observed shape can be an oval, and the predetermined relationship can be an allowable aspect ratio of the oval. In some embodiments, the allowable aspect ratio can be approximately one.

Systems and methods for focusing optics

Systems and methods for high-speed image scanning are disclosed herein One aspect of the invention is directed to a method for high speed image scanning. The method for high speed image scanning includes adjusting an object using a positioning element; directing a portion of an image of the object toward a sensor by positioning a first mirror relative to the object, and by positioning a second mirror relative to the object and the first mirror; controlling the positioning element, the position of the first mirror and the position of the second mirror using a processor; and detecting the portion of the image of the object using the sensor positioned relative to the first mirror and the second mirror. In accord with this method, the first mirror directs the portion of the image of the object in a first direction and the second mirror directs the portion of the image of the object in a second direction.

Systems and methods for high-speed image scanning

Systems and methods for high-throughput radiation biodosimetry are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a high-throughput methods of analyzing a population for radiation exposure can include, in various possible sequences: marking a first capillary designed to retain a first sample from the population with a first identifier; transporting a plurality of samples to a biodosimetry system; inputting the samples into the biodosimetry system; centrifuging the plurality of samples including the first sample wherein each sample can be retained in a capillary and the first sample can be retained in the first capillary; transferring the plurality of capillaries including the first capillary from the centrifuge to a cutting device using a robotic device; cutting the first capillary; reading the first identifier; transferring at least one portion of the first sample from the first capillary to a well in an array, wherein the array can include one or more filters in a multi-well plate; correlating the first identifier to a location of the array that includes the at least one portion of the first sample; one or more cycles of biological processing, which can include addition of a reagent and/or incubation of a selected temperature such as, for example, 37&#xb0; C., 4&#xb0; C., room temperature, and the like; sealing the array; positioning the array adjacent to an imaging element; focusing the imaging element; capturing an image of the first sample in the array; and analyzing the image to determine whether the first sample indicates a level of radiation exposure exceeding a predetermined threshold.

Systems and methods for high-throughput radiation biodosimetry

Systems and methods for robotic transport are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, robotic systems for transporting biological samples include: a plurality of capillary vessels, in which each capillary vessel can contain a biological sample from a population; a receptacle that can contain the plurality of capillary vessels; a centrifuge; a first robotic device that can transport the receptacle between an input module and the centrifuge; a second robotic device that can transport the receptacle between the centrifuge and a sample harvest location; a cutting device that can cut each of the plurality of capillary vessels; a multi-well plate having a plurality of wells arranged in an array; and a third robotic device that can transfer at least one portion of each of the plurality of biological samples from each of the plurality of capillary vessels to a corresponding well in the array.

Growing community of inventors

Dobbs Ferry, NY, United States of America

Guy Garty