Fixtures for use in parallel processing bio-chips

Abstract

A holder ( 10 ) housing defines a plurality of individual wells ( 14 ) sized to retain a substrate such as a bio-chip ( 20 ) or microscope slide in a vertical orientation, and to retain a volume of liquid ( 22 ) sufficient to immerse the bio-chip. The wells are spaced-apart with an approximately 9 mm pitch and the holder has a form factor approximating an SBS Standard 96 well microplate. The holder configuration is such that it can be manipulated with standard robotic equipment ( 30 ), and can be fabricated using injection molding processes.

1 . A holder to receive a plurality of substrates selected from a group consisting of bio-chips and microscope slides, the holder comprising: 
 a holder housing whose upper region defines a plurality of separate channels, each of said channels sized to receive one of said bio-chips in a vertical orientation and to retain an amount of liquid sufficient to immerse a received bio-chip;    said holder having a form factor sized to accommodate manipulation by a robotic mechanism.    
     
     
         2 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of holder conforms to an SBS Standard 96-well microplate.  
     
     
         3 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein said channels are defined with a spaced-apart pitch approximating 9 mm.  
     
     
         4 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein each of said substrates is a bio-chip having a form factor approximating a standard microscope slide.  
     
     
         5 . The holder of  claim 1 , further including a lid member, sized to sealingly attach to an upper surface of said holder.  
     
     
         6 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein said amount of liquid is less than about 4 ml.  
     
     
         7 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein said amount of liquid is about 3.4 ml.  
     
     
         8 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein said holder is injection molded.  
     
     
         9 . A robotically-manipulatable kit for use with substrates selected from a group consisting of bio-chips and microscope slides, comprising at least two of: 
 a holder having a form factor sized to accommodate manipulation by a robotic mechanism and including a housing whose upper region defines a plurality of separate channels spaced-apart from each other with a pitch P, each of said channels sized to receive one of said substrates in a vertical orientation and to retain an amount of liquid sufficient to immerse a received substrate;    a reservoir having a form factor sized to accommodate manipulation by a robotic mechanism and sized to receive said holder; and    a positioning tool having a form factor sized to accommodate manipulation by a robotic mechanism and sized to retain a plurality of said substrates with said pitch P.    
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein an upper surface of holder conforms to an SBS Standard 96-well microplate.  
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein said pitch P is about 9 mm.  
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein each of said substrates is a bio-chip having a form factor approximating a standard microscope slide.  
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 9 , further including a lid member, sized to sealingly attach to an upper surface of said holder.  
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein volume of liquid retainable in each said channel is less than about 4 ml.  
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein volume of liquid retainable in each said channel is about 3.4 ml.  
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein said holder is injection molded.  
     
     
         17 . A robotically-manipulatable kit for use with microscope-sized slides, comprising at least two of: 
 a holder having a form factor sized to accommodate manipulation by a robotic mechanism and including a housing whose upper region defines a plurality of separate channels spaced-apart from each other with a pitch P, each of said channels sized to receive one of said slides in a vertical orientation and to retain an amount of liquid sufficient to immerse a received slide;    a reservoir having a form factor sized to accommodate manipulation by a robotic mechanism and sized to receive said holder; and    a positioning tool having a form factor sized to accommodate manipulation by a robotic mechanism and sized to retain a plurality of said slides with said pitch P.    
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein said slides include at least one slide selected from a group consisting of (a) a slide of cytology staining, (b) a slide for parasite staining, (c) and a slide for culturing cells.  
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein an upper surface of holder conforms to an SBS Standard 96-well microplate.  
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein said pitch P is about 9 mm.  
     
     
         21 . The kit of  claim 17 , further including a lid member, sized to sealingly attach to an upper surface of said holder.  
     
     
         22 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein volume of liquid retainable in each said channel is less than about 4 ml.  
     
     
         23 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein volume of liquid retainable in each said channel is about 3.4 ml.  
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein said holder is injection molded.