Systems and methods for multi-analysis

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for sample processing. A device may be provided, capable of receiving the sample, and performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing multiple assays. The device may comprise one or more modules that may be capable of performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing the steps using a small volume of sample.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A cartridge comprising:
 (a) one or more receptacles for receiving a biological sample obtained from a subject; (b) one or more slides for imaging cells in the biological sample; and (c) one or more reagent units, wherein at least one of the reagent units comprises an optically detectable reagent for imaging the cells in the biological sample.   
     
     
         10 . The cartridge of  claim 9 , further comprising one or more cytometry cuvettes for performing a cytometric assay. 
     
     
         11 . The cartridge of  claim 9 , further comprising one or more nucleic acid vessels for performing a nucleic acid assay and the cartridge comprises one or more reagents for performing the nucleic acid assay. 
     
     
         12 . The cartridge of  claim 9 , wherein the cartridge further comprises at least one pipette tip. 
     
     
         13 . The cartridge of  claim 9 , wherein the optically detectable reagent is at least one reagent selected from the group Acid Fast Bacilli staining, Alcian Blue staining, Alcian Blue/PAS staining, Alizarin Red, alkaline phosphatase staining, aminostyryl dyes, ammonium molybdate, Azure A, Azure B, Bielschowsky Staining, Bismark brown, cadmium iodide, carbocyanines, carbohydrazide, carboindocyanines, Carmine, Coomassie blue, Congo Red, crystal violet, DAPI, ethidium bromide, Diff-Quik staining, eosin, ferric chloride, fluorescent dyes, fuchsin, Giemsa stain, Golgi staining, Golgi-Cox staining, Gomori's Trichrome staining, Gordon Sweet's staining, Gram staining, Grocott Methenamine staining, haematoxylin, hexamine, Hoechst stains, Hyaluronidase Alcian Blue, indium trichloride, indocarbocyanines, indodicarbocyanines, iodine, Jenner's stain, lanthanum nitrate, lead acetate, lead citrate, lead(II) nitrate, Leishman stain, Luna staining, Luxol Fast Blue, Malachite green, Masson Fontana staining, Masson Trichrome staining, methenamine, methyl green, methyline blue, microglia staining, Miller's Elastic staining, neutral red, Nile blue, Nile red, Nissl staining, Orange G, osmium tetroxide, Papanicolaou staining, PAS staining, PAS diastase staining, periodic acid, Perls Prussian Blue, phosphomolybdic acid, phosphotungstic acid, potassium ferricyanide, potassium ferrocyanide, Pouchet staining, propidium iodide (PI), Prussian Blue, Renal Alcian Blue/PAS staining, Renal Masson Trichrome staining, Renal PAS Methenamine staining, Rhodamine, Romanovsky stain, Ruthenium Red, Safranin O, silver nitrate, Silver staining, Sirius Red, sodium chloroaurate, Southgate's Mucicannine, Sudan staining, Sybr Green, Sybr Gold, SYTO dyes, SYPRO stains, thallium nitrate, thiosemicarbazide, Toluidine Blue, uranyl acetate, uranyl nitrate, van Gieson staining, vanadyl sulfate, von Kossa staining, Wright-Giemsa stain, Wright's stain, X-Gal, and Ziehl Neelsen staining. 
     
     
         14 . A biological sample processing system comprising:
 a cartridge comprising (a) one or more receptacles for receiving a biological sample obtained from a subject; (b) one or more slides for imaging cells in the biological sample; (c) one or more reagent units, wherein at least one of the reagent units comprises an optically detectable reagent for imaging the cells in the biological sample; and   a biological sample processing device comprising a cartridge receiving location for receiving the cartridge, a sample handling system, and an imaging device for imaging the cells in the biological sample on the one or more slides.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the cartridge further comprises one or more cytometry cuvettes for performing a cytometric assay. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the cartridge further comprises one or more assay units for performing one or more assays on the biological sample selected from the group immunoassay, nucleic acid assay, receptor-based assay, cytometric assay, colorimetric assay, enzymatic assay, electrophoretic assay, electrochemical assay, spectroscopic assay, chromatographic assay, microscopic assay topographic assay, calorimetric assay, turbidimetric assay, agglutination assay, radioisotope assay, viscometric assay, coagulation assay, clotting time assay, protein synthesis assay, histological assay, culture assay, and osmolarity assay. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the assay units is a nucleic acid vessel for performing a nucleic acid assay. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the nucleic acid assay is a nucleic acid amplification assay, and wherein the device further comprises a nucleic acid amplification module comprising a thermal device for providing thermal control for the nucleic acid amplification assay, wherein the thermal device comprises one or more wells for receiving the nucleic acid vessel. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the thermal device provides thermocycling for the nucleic acid amplification. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more assay units are each fluidically isolated and movable. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the cartridge further comprises at least one pipette tip and the sample handling system comprises at least one pipette head comprising a pipette nozzle for engaging the at least one pipette tip. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the sample handling system comprises a plurality of pipette heads, wherein each pipette head comprises a pipette nozzle for engaging to the at least one pipette tip. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a centrifuge. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the optically detectable reagent is selected from the group Acid Fast Bacilli staining, Alcian Blue staining, Alcian Blue/PAS staining, Alizarin Red, alkaline phosphatase staining, aminostyryl dyes, ammonium molybdate, Azure A, Azure B, Bielschowsky Staining, Bismark brown, cadmium iodide, carbocyanines, carbohydrazide, carboindocyanines, Carmine, Coomassie blue, Congo Red, crystal violet, DAPI, ethidium bromide, Diff-Quik staining, eosin, ferric chloride, fluorescent dyes, fuchsin, Giemsa stain, Golgi staining, Golgi-Cox staining, Gomori's Trichrome staining, Gordon Sweet's staining, Gram staining, Grocott Methenamine staining, haematoxylin, hexamine, Hoechst stains, Hyaluronidase Alcian Blue, indium trichloride, indocarbocyanines, indodicarbocyanines, iodine, Jenner's stain, lanthanum nitrate, lead acetate, lead citrate, lead(II) nitrate, Leishman stain, Luna staining, Luxol Fast Blue, Malachite green, Masson Fontana staining, Masson Trichrome staining, methenamine, methyl green, methyline blue, microglia staining, Miller's Elastic staining, neutral red, Nile blue, Nile red, Nissl staining, Orange G, osmium tetroxide, Papanicolaou staining, PAS staining, PAS diastase staining, periodic acid, Perls Prussian Blue, phosphomolybdic acid, phosphotungstic acid, potassium ferricyanide, potassium ferrocyanide, Pouchet staining, propidium iodide (PI), Prussian Blue, Renal Alcian Blue/PAS staining, Renal Masson Trichrome staining, Renal PAS Methenamine staining, Rhodamine, Romanovsky stain, Ruthenium Red, Safranin O, silver nitrate, Silver staining, Sirius Red, sodium chloroaurate, Southgate's Mucicannine, Sudan staining, Sybr Green, Sybr Gold, SYTO dyes, SYPRO stains, thallium nitrate, thiosemicarbazide, Toluidine Blue, uranyl acetate, uranyl nitrate, van Gieson staining, vanadyl sulfate, von Kossa staining, Wright-Giemsa stain, Wright's stain, X-Gal, and Ziehl Neelsen staining. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the imaging device comprises a CCD or CMOS sensor. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the CCD or CMOS sensor is operatively coupled to a microscopy stage or objective. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the microscopy stage is further configured to receive a cytometry cuvette. 
     
     
         28 . A method for imaging cells in a biological sample, comprising:
 receiving, in the biological sample processing device of the system of  claim 14 , the cartridge, wherein the cartridge comprises the biological sample obtained from the subject;   transferring, by the sample handling system, at least a portion of the biological sample to the one or more slides;   preparing in the biological sample processing device a smear of the biological sample on the one or more slides; and   obtaining an image, by the imaging device, of cells in the biological sample on the one or more slides.