System and Method for Analyzing a Biological Sample

Abstract

A system and method for analyzing a biological substance, the device comprising: a specimen input device; at least one pumping device in flow communication with a chemical reservoir and said specimen input device; and at least one flow cell in flow communication with said at least one pumping device via at least one flow valve, wherein said at least one flow cell is configured to contain said specimen and includes a sensing device configured to sense at least one characteristic of said specimen.

1 . A method for analyzing a biological specimen from a human subject using an analyzing device, wherein the analyzing device includes a specimen input device, at least one pumping device in flow communication with a chemical reservoir and a specimen input device and at least one flow cell in flow communication with the at least one pumping device via at least one flow valve, wherein the at least one flow cell is configured to contain the specimen and at least one sensing device which includes at least one of a pH sensing device, an oxidation sensing device, a conductivity sensing device, an ammonium and nitrate sensing device and a refractometer sensing device configured to sense characteristics of the specimen responsive to the pH, oxidation, conductivity, ammonium content, nitrate content and refractometry of the specimen, the method comprising:
 introducing the biological specimen into the specimen input device;   operating the analyzing device to cause the biological specimen within the specimen input device to flow to the flow cell, such that the biological specimen is contained within a flow cell cavity;   sensing at least one characteristic of the biological specimen contained within the flow cell cavity, wherein the characteristic includes at least one of the pH, oxidation, conductivity, ammonium content, nitrate content and refractometry of the biological specimen;   flushing the specimen contained with the flow cell cavity into a waste container after sensing the at least one characteristic; and   cleaning the analyzing device by causing a cleaning fluid to flow through the analyzing device into the waste container.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including,
 calibrating the analyzing device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said calibrating includes calibrating at least one of the pH sensing device, the oxidation sensing device, the conductivity sensing device, the ammonium and nitrate sensing device and the refractometer sensing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said calibrating includes introducing a plurality of predetermined solutions into the analyzing device such that each of said plurality of predetermined solutions flows through the analyzing device to contact the at least one sensing device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of predetermined solutions are introduced into the analyzing device and are responsive to the at least one sensing device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said introducing, operating, sensing, flushing and cleaning are controlled via a processing device, wherein the processing device is communicated with at least one of the chemical reservoir, the pumping device, the flow valve and the flow cell. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cleaning includes cleaning the analyzing device at least one of before or after each use. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the specimen input device, the pumping device, the chemical reservoir, the flow valve and the sensing device is controllably configurable via a processing device. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-readable storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code, the program code including instructions for causing a controller to implement at least a portion of a method for analyzing a biological sample from a human subject using an analyzing device, wherein the analyzing device includes a specimen input device, at least one pumping device in flow communication with a chemical reservoir and a specimen input device and at least one flow cell in flow communication with the at least one pumping device via at least one flow valve, wherein the at least one flow cell is configured to contain the specimen and at least one sensing device which includes at least one of a pH sensing device, an oxidation sensing device, a conductivity sensing device, an ammonium and nitrate sensing device and a refractometer sensing device configured to sense characteristics of the specimen responsive to the pH, oxidation, conductivity, ammonium content, nitrate content and refractometry of the specimen, the method comprising:
 introducing the biological specimen into the specimen input device;   operating the analyzing device to cause the biological specimen within the specimen input device to flow to the flow cell, such that the biological specimen is contained within a flow cell cavity;   sensing at least one characteristic of the biological specimen contained within the flow cell cavity, wherein the characteristic includes at least one of the pH, oxidation, conductivity, ammonium content, nitrate content and refractometry of the biological specimen;   flushing the specimen contained with the flow cell cavity into a waste container after sensing the at least one characteristic; and   cleaning the analyzing device by causing a cleaning fluid to flow through the analyzing device into the waste container.   
     
     
         10 . The machine-readable computer program code of  claim 9 , wherein the machine-readable computer program code is at least partially encoded onto a tangible medium, wherein the tangible medium includes at least one of an optical medium and a magnetic medium. 
     
     
         11 . The machine-readable computer program code of  claim 9 , wherein the method further includes,
 calibrating the analyzing device.   
     
     
         12 . The machine-readable computer program code of  claim 11 , wherein said calibrating includes calibrating at least one of the pH sensing device, the oxidation sensing device, the conductivity sensing device, the ammonium and nitrate sensing device and the refractometer sensing device. 
     
     
         13 . The machine-readable computer program code of  claim 12 , wherein said calibrating includes introducing a plurality of predetermined solutions into the analyzing device such that each of said plurality of predetermined solutions flows through the analyzing device to contact the at least one sensing device. 
     
     
         14 . The machine-readable computer program code of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of predetermined solutions are introduced into the analyzing device and are responsive to the at least one sensing device. 
     
     
         15 . The machine-readable computer program code of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said introducing, operating, sensing, flushing and cleaning are controlled via a processing device, wherein the processing device is communicated with at least one of the chemical reservoir, the pumping device, the flow valve and the flow cell. 
     
     
         16 . The machine-readable computer program code of  claim 9 , wherein said cleaning includes cleaning the analyzing device at least one of before or after each use. 
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable computer program code of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the specimen input device, the pumping device, the chemical reservoir, the flow valve and the sensing device is controllably configurable via a processing device.