Intellectual Property

A limited well thermal cycling device for sample preparation and real-time fluorescence detection is described. The limited well thermal cycling device includes a heating block having a sample well and at least one reaction well and an optical block including a corresponding means for measuring real time fluorescence in each reaction well. The limited well thermal cycling device includes a means for efficient heating and cooling of reaction and sample wells for real-time fluorescence detection. The structure of the heating block provides the means for efficient heating and cooling by having each of the sample well and at least one reaction wells rising above the heating block base, such that the sample well and at least one reaction well are not surrounded by the metal heating block.

A biological sample collection system and dispensing system is described. The biological sample collection system provides for collection and processing of a biological sample (i.e. bodily fluids collected from nose, throat, or other mucosal membrane of an animal or human). The biological sample collection system includes a sample collector and a collection tube. The sample collector provides a structure for sealing the biological sample in the collection tube for further processing without opening the collection tube, and may provide a structure for collecting the biological sample. When the sample collector and collection tube are removably attached the dispensing system is formed. The dispensing system provides for further processing of the biological sample without opening the collection tube (i.e. without un-securing or removing the plug from the collection tube). The dispensing system further provides dispensing of the processed biological sample without opening the collection tube).

A system for in vitro molecular diagnostic of an analyte is described. The system includes a test kit and a diagnostic device. The system provides automatic conveyance of kit information to the diagnostic device, including diagnostic protocols, simultaneous with the conveyance of other information regarding the test. The system can sequentially run different molecular diagnostics without programming the diagnostic device between diagnostics because of the information received by the diagnostic device from the test kit. This system allows these different molecular diagnostics to be run without connection to the internet and a remote server.