Methods and apparatus for blood typing with optical bio-discs

Abstract

This invention relates to clinical diagnostic assays and related optical bio-discs and a disc-reading apparatus. The invention is directed to a methods for determining the blood cell type of an individual.

1 . An apparatus for determining a blood group type of an individual comprising: 
 an optical bio-disc including at least one capture chamber including: 
 a layer including a first capture antibody, and  
 a layer including a second capture antibody bound by the first capture antibody, the second capture antibody being specific for a blood group antigen;  
   a disc drive assembly configured to move the optical bio-disc;    an optical reader configured to read information from the optical bio-disc; and    software for blood group analysis of at least a portion of the information.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the layer including the first capture antibody and the layer including the second capture antibody comprise the same layer.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the capture chamber comprises a surface including at least one positive control field and at least one negative control filed.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the surface comprises the layer including the first capture antibody.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the optical reader is configured to obtain a measurement for at least an area proximate to the first capture antibody, for the positive control field and for the negative control field, and wherein the software is configured to conduct at least a portion of an analysis of said measurements in order to determine the blood group type of the individual.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus for determining a blood group type of an individual comprising: 
 an optical bio-disc including at least one capture chamber which includes: 
 a layer including a first capture antibody; and  
 a layer including a second capture antibody bound by the first antibody, the second capture antibody being specific for a blood group antigen;  
   a surface of the capture chamber including at least one positive control field and at least one negative control field;    a drive assembly configured to move the optical bio-disc    an optical reader configured to read information from the optical bio-disc; and    software configured to conduct at least a portion of an analysis of information read by the optical reader in order to determine the blood type of the individual.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the surface comprises the layer including the first capture antibody.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the surface further comprises the layer including the second capture antibody.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the information comprises a measurement of an area proximate to the first capture antibody, the positive control field and the negative control field.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the analysis of information comprises analysis of said measurements.