Roche Diagnostics Hematology, Inc.

Cytyc Corporation

Constitution Medical, Inc.

Mark J Licari

David J Zahniser

Eric Yeaton

Dennis P Poole

Daniel C Lapen

Brian James McKeen

Stephen Conroy

Roy A Ostgaard

Edward J O'Connell

Brian J Mckeen

Stephen Edward Conroy

The apparatus disclosed herein features a substrate arm and gripper, a platform having a top surface located opposite the substrate when the substrate arm is in a specimen processing position and featuring at least one fluid port located on a surface of the platform facing the substrate and at least one vacuum port located on the surface of the platform facing the substrate, and during operation, the apparatus is configured to (a) dispense a first quantity of fluid from the at least one fluid port to fill a separation between the substrate and the platform, (b) dispense an additional quantity of fluid from the at least one fluid port into the separation to displace a portion of the first quantity of fluid, and (c) remove the portion of the first quantity of fluid from the separation through the at least one vacuum port.

Automated systems and methods for preparing biological specimens for examination

The systems and methods disclosed herein permit automated preparation of biological specimens for examination. The disclosed systems and methods provide fast, efficient, and highly uniform specimen processing using minimal quantities of fluids. The methods include at least a fixing phase for fixing a biological specimen to a substrate such as a microscope slide, a staining phase for staining the specimen, and a rinsing phase for rinsing the specimen. One or more of the fixing, staining, and rinsing phases include one or more agitation cycles for distributing reagents evenly and uniformly across the specimen. The systems can be implemented as a standalone device or as a component in a larger system for preparing and examining biological specimens.

A sample vial is disclosed for use in conjunction with an automated cytological specimen preparation system.

Sample vial for use in preparing cytological specimen

Sample vial

Growing community of inventors

Acton, MA, United States of America

Mark J Licari