Bioarray Solutions Ltd.

Cambridge Research Instrumentation, Inc.

Scott Determan

Michael Seul

Chiu Wo Chau

Xiongwu Xia

Peter J Miller

Clifford C Hoyt

Peter L Domenicali

Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain encoding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Analysis, secure access to, and transmission of array images

Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and a decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain coding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Disclosed methods include: acquiring a first sequence of multiple images of a sample, with each image in the first sequence corresponding to a different spectral weighting function; unmixing the first sequence of images into data corresponding to a first set of unmixed images, where each unmixed image in the first set corresponds to a spatial distribution in the sample of a different one of multiple components at a first time; acquiring one or more additional images of the sample and combining the additional images with one or more of the images in the first sequence to form a second sequence of images; unmixing the second sequence of images into data corresponding to a second set of unmixed images; and displaying information about the sample as a function of time based on the data corresponding to the first and second sets of unmixed images.

Spectral unmixing for visualization of samples

The invention provides for surface mapping of in-vivo imaging subjects using a single camera and a moveable stage on which a subject animal for in-vivo imaging is placed. Images are taken and the stage is moved by known amounts along the optical axis, and the heights of individual features on the subject are determined through analysis of focus, given the known stage displacement. Alternatively, height of sub-regions of the subject are determined through analysis of focus. A mesh or other surface can be constructed from individual features, to provide a surface map of the subject. Accuracy of 0.5 mm or better can be attained for mice and similarly sized subjects.

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North Andover, MA, United States of America

Scott Determan