Sample Processing Apparatus and Method

Abstract

The invention relates to a sample processing apparatus comprising a holder for a microtiter plate comprising a plurality of microwells, optical measurement unit for measuring optical responses of samples dosed to the microwells, and a computing unit configured to analyze the optical responses in order to detect dosing failures in said plurality of microwells, and if a dosing failure has been detected in one or more of the microwells, to communicate the existence of the dosing failure to a user of the apparatus through signaling means or to store data indicative of the dosing failure to data storage means for further use. In particular, the invention relates to detecting dosing failures in before, during and after a PCR process.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A method of determining whether a chemical or biological assay reagent has been diluted comprising:
 a. providing a first reagent solution comprising at least one substance required for performing said assay, the first reagent solution further comprising a first colorant providing the solution a first color;   b. providing a second reagent solution comprising at least one other substance required for performing said assay; the second reagent solution a second color different from the first color, wherein the second reagent solution is clear;   c. mixing the first and second solutions for providing a mixed solution, the mixed solution capable of having a third color different from the first and second colors;   d. detecting the presence or absence of the third color in order to determine whether a biological assay reagent has been diluted.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first color and the second color are distinguishable in the visual spectrum. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the presence or absence of the third color is detected visually. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein a reduction in the color intensity from the first reagent solution to the third color shows dilution has occurred. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the first or second reagent solution comprises a dilution buffer. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the dilution buffer is used to facilitate lysis of solid-state samples to release nucleic acids. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first or second reagent solution comprises a PCR sample dilution buffer solution. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the PCR sample dilution buffer solution is used to dilute, digest, or precipitate released components before PCR. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first or second reagent solution comprises a PCR master mix or a qPCR master mix. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first or second reagent solution comprises a polymerase, dNTPs, a PCR primer, a magnesium salt, a nucleic acid template, a qPCR dye, and/or a probe for a PCR product. 
     
     
         43 . A method for detecting a pipetting failure in a chemical or biological assay or process comprising:
 a. pipetting a first reagent solution comprising at least one substance required for performing said assay, the first reagent solution further comprising a first colorant providing the solution a first color;   b. pipetting a second reagent solution comprising at least one other substance required for performing said assay, the second reagent solution further comprising a second colorant providing the solution a second color different from the first color;   c. mixing the first and second reagent solutions, the mixed solution capable of having, due to said first and second colorants, a third color different from the first and second colors;   d. detecting the presence or absence of the third color in order to detect a potential pipetting failure.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the first color and the second color are distinguishable in the visual spectrum. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the presence or absence of the third color is detected visually. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the presence or absence of the third color is detected by measuring the optical response of the mixed solution. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the chemical or biological assay or process comprises a nucleic acid synthesis reaction. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the chemical or biological assay comprises a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the first reagent solution comprises a PCR master mix or a qPCR master mix. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the first reagent solution comprises a polymerase, dNTPs, a PCR primer, a magnesium salt, a nucleic acid template, a qPCR dye, and/or a probe for a PCR product. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the second reagent solution comprises (a) a polymerase, dNTPs, a PCR primer, a magnesium salt, a nucleic acid template, a qPCR dye, and/or a probe for a PCR product and (b) is different from the at least one substance in the first reagent solution.