Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Kimikazu Sugiyama

Minoru Sano

Yoshiyuki Shoji

Masato Ishizawa

Ryoji Inaba

Yasunori Shoji

Yuki Kikuchi

Manami Nammoku

A nucleic acid amplifier comprises a holderwhich is provided with a plurality of temperature control blockseach designed to hold at least one reaction vesselstoring a reaction solution. The temperature of the reaction solution in each reaction vesselis controlled individually by using temperature control devicesandarranged in each of the temperature control blocks. The temperature that is set in each temperature control blockand the timing for temperature changes are controlled independently of the temperatures of other temperature control blocks. This configuration makes it possible to provide a nucleic acid amplifier and a nucleic acid inspection device (employing the nucleic acid amplifier) capable of processing multiple types of samples differing in the protocol in parallel (parallel processing) and starting a process for a different sample even when there is a process in execution.

Nucleic acid amplifier and nucleic acid inspection device employing the same

When taking in outside air with a fan to control the temperature inside a covered portion where a specimen is installed, the internal temperature may change depending on an environment temperature to cause a difference in temperature control. The wind generated by the fan may blow against a reaction container depending on its loading position and it may influence the temperature control over individual specimens and lead to problems with temperature accuracy, temperature rise speed, and temperature drop speed. A reaction container avoiding these problems has a covered portion which performs temperature control on the reaction container and in which a cover and a fin cover have a heat insulating structure. A heat source is provided for controlling an internal temperature of an internal covered space. The internal temperature is kept constant and the influence of the environment temperature over the temperature control of the reaction container is minimized.

Nucleic acid amplification/detection device and nucleic acid inspection device using same

A device for detecting nucleic acid amplification in a sample, comprising: a loading unit (thermoregulation unit) which is provided with a plurality of holes for loading reaction containers and capable of arbitrarily controlling a measurement unit for measuring samples in the containers that are loaded in the holes. The loading unit and the measurement unit, which are placed opposite to each other, can be operated independently from each other. In a transfer operation, the operation speeds of the thermoregulation unit and measurement unit are controlled so that the sum of these speeds amounts to an arbitrary constant value.

Method for detecting nucleic acid amplification in sample and device therefor

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Hitachinaka, Japan

Kimikazu Sugiyama