Bio-rad Laboratories, Inc.

Tom McCollum

Daniel Y Chu

Paul J Patt

Xin Heng

Michael Griffin

Eli Hefner

Mike Griffin

Daniel Yue Man Chu

Frank Shen

Don Flory

A system, apparatus and method for using modular microscopes is disclosed. Connecting the housings of the individual microscope modules provide the structural framework of the modular microscope. Furthermore, the modular microscope can include specialized software, the distribution and use of which can be controlled using security keys or identifiers stored on one or more of the microscope modules. The security keys and identifiers can be based on calibration data associated with the physical, electrical, or optical properties of one of more of the modules. The illumination modules disclosed provide for selectable wavelengths and controllable levels of output illumination for both bright field and dark field illumination.

Modular microscope construction

Biological cells in a liquid suspension are counted in an automated cell counter that focuses an image of the suspension on a digital imaging sensor that contains at least 4,000,000 pixels each having an area of 2&#xd7;2 &#x3bc;m or less and that images a field of view of at least 3 mm. The sensor enables the counter to compress the optical components into an optical path of less than 20 cm in height when arranged vertically with no changes in direction of the optical path as a whole, and the entire instrument has a footprint of less than 300 cm. Activation of the light source, automated focusing of the sensor image, and digital cell counting are all initiated by the simple insertion of the sample holder into the instrument. The suspension is placed in a sample chamber in the form of a slide that is shaped to ensure proper orientation of the slide in the cell counter.

Compact automated cell counter

In a scanning system for the detection and discrimination of a plurality of targets in each of a plurality of samples, one or more multiband fluorescence detection channels each of which contains a single multiband emission filter and a single detector replaces multiple detection components in scanning heads of the prior art. In certain embodiments, a single multi-emitter light source is used as well, to illuminate each sample with excitation light at a variety of distinct wavelengths in succession.

Fluorescence scanning head with multiband detection

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Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Tom McCollum