Leland Stanford Junior University

Genomic Instrumentation Services, Inc.

Other

Scott P Hunicke-Smith

Carl Buice

Theodore Rogers

Benjamin Riepe

David E Huber

Peter Josef Oefner

Robert D Guettler

Jimmy Tiansing Koh

Omar Medeiros

A polymer synthesizer is disclosed which has a base on which sits a synthesis case, a synthesis block, and a means of moving the synthesis block and supports for a reagent shelf. The synthesis case has a loading station, drain station, and a water tolerant reagent area and a water sensitive reagent dispensing area. The synthesis case has a cover, a first and a second side, a first and a second end, and a bottom side which contacts the base. The bottom side of the synthesis case has a top face in which there are tracks. A synthesis block moves back and forth in the synthesis case and has a top face and an opening in the top face for a synthesis plate with a plurality of wells. The synthesis block also has a collection area under the synthesis plate to drain spent reagents or optionally hold a sample plate. The polymer synthesizer also has a means of moving the synthesis block back and forth in the synthesis case, preferably a pulley, cable and motor. The polymer synthesizer also has a means of draining the liquid from the synthesis plate. A method of synthesizing oligonucleotides with the polymer synthesizer also is disclosed.

Polymer synthesizer

The present invention is directed to a microcentrifuge apparatus adapted to simultaneously spin a plurality of samples contained within a plurality of rotors. The microcentrifuge comprises an upper plate that has a plurality of upper plate holes; and a lower plate that has a plurality of lower plate holes or recesses. The lower plate is adjacent and substantially parallel to the upper plate, and the plurality of lower plate holes or recesses are in axial alignment with the plurality of upper plate holes. The plurality of rotors are adapted for retaining and spinning the plurality of samples, and are positioned between the upper plate and the lower plate. Each of the plurality of rotors has at opposing ends an upper shaft and a lower shaft, wherein the upper shaft engages one of the upper plate holes and the lower shaft engages one of the lower plate holes or recesses such that the axes of rotation of each of the plurality rotors are substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower plates. In addition, each of the rotors has a central outer surface portion positioned between the upper and lower plates, wherein the central outer surface portion is outwardly bulged. The microcentrifuge further comprises a pulley and a drive belt that is operatively engaged with the pulley and the bulged central outer surface portion of each of the plurality of rotors.

Array centrifuge

A micropipetter a plurality of hollow needles to deliver fluid, the needles being anchored in a sample block; a needle guide assembly with a plurality of needle guide shafts and compression springs attached at one end to the sample block and at the other end to a needle guide plate, each spring surrounding a needle guide shaft, and the needle guide plate controlling the spacing of the needles; a sample block having a plurality of hollow, tapered spaces, each of which connect with the hollow needle; a displacement volume block having a plurality of hollow spaces, each being occupied by a piston pin, each piston pin being sealed with a stationary seal assembly; a stationary sheet seal located between the sample block and the displacement volume block, the sheet seal having a plurality of holes corresponding to and separating the spaces in the sample block and the displacement volume block, such that precise volume displacement is provided; a seal constraint plate located above the displacement volume block, the seal constraint plate positioned to hold in place an airtight, low-friction seal assembly around each of the piston pins; the piston pins being attached to a piston pin plate; and a motive means for moving the pistons vertically and thereby alternately aspirating fluid into the needles and dispensing fluid from the needles. The seal assembly has at least one sleeve and one O-ring. The motive means is at least one motor having at least one lead-screw drive which goes through the core of the motor, the lead-screw drive being attached to an armature, such that actuating the motor causes the lead-screw drive to pull up or lower the rest of the micropipetter. Optionally, the micropipetter has at least one set of crossbars, each crossbar being attached to the constraint plate and the piston pin plate to increase stability and precise movement. The micropipetter needles can number 1, 8, 16,24, 96, 384 or 1536. Optionally, the micropipetter has a counter-balance to aid in hand-held use.

Pipetter

A thermocycling apparatus comprising a plurality of capillaries for moving DNA-containing samples between two or more discrete zones maintained at selected elevated temperatures.

Thermocycling apparatus and method

Apparatus and method for producing a defined size distribution of polynucleotide fragments having a selected mean size range between about 100 and 20,000 base pairs. The method includes passing a suspension of polynucleotide fragments through an apparatus containing a capillary with an orifice near the outlet end of the capillary.

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Scott P Hunicke-Smith