Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for washing a plurality of fluid samples are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a system for washing a plurality of fluid samples respectively located within a plurality of cuvettes includes a rotor configured to rotate the plurality of cuvettes about an axis, a traveler mechanism located beneath the rotor, the traveler mechanism configured to move a plurality of magnets parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor to position the plurality of magnets so that each cuvette of the plurality of cuvettes is located adjacent to at least one magnet of the plurality of magnets, and a wash system located above the rotor, the wash system configured to at least one of inject fluid into or aspirate fluid from the plurality of the cuvettes, while the plurality of magnets suspend magnetic particles located within each of the plurality of cuvettes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for mixing a fluid/media for an assay are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a mixing device for an immunochemistry system includes a pipette configured to aspirate fluid and/or paramagnetic particles from or dispense fluid and/or paramagnetic particles into a cuvette, at least one nonconcentric mass configured cause the pipette to move in a mixing motion, and a control unit configured to activate the at least one nonconcentric mass while the pipette is located within the cuvette so as to mix the fluid and/or paramagnetic particles within the cuvette.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an immunochemistry analysing system includes a source of paramagnetic particles, a source of fluid, a cuvette configured to receive the paramagnetic particles and the fluid, a pipette configured to (i) translate so that at least a portion of the pipette is located within the cuvette and (ii) dispense at least one of the paramagnetic particles and the fluid into the cuvette so that the paramagnetic particles and the fluid can be mixed within the cuvette, a motor configured to move the pipette while located in the cuvette, and a control unit configured to vary a motor drive of the motor to cause the pipette to mix the fluid with the paramagnetic particles within the cuvette.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of optically analyzing fluid within a pipette are described herein. In an embodiment, an optical reader subassembly includes a pipette configured to aspirate and hold a fluid sample within its tip, a housing configured to receive at least the tip of the pipette through a reentrant seal so that the tip of the pipette is located in a light tight manner within an internal area, a light source positioned to be in proximity to the tip of the pipette when the tip of the pipette is received by the housing, the light source configured to project light through the tip of the pipette and onto the fluid sample held within the tip, and an optical sensor configured to take a reading of the fluid sample held within the tip of the pipette without any of the fluid sample being injected from the pipette.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of optically analyzing fluid within a pipette are described herein. In an embodiment, an optical reader subassembly includes a housing including an internal area, a container configured to hold a fluid sample at a sample position in a light tight manner within the internal area of the housing, a light source configured to project light onto the fluid sample within the container, and an optical sensor configured to move between different sensor positions while the fluid sample remains stationary at the sample position, the different sensor positions including at least two of: (i) a first sensor position for taking a luminescence reading of the fluid sample; (ii) a second sensor position for taking a dark current or other background measurement; and (iii) a third sensor position for taking a fluorescence reading of the fluid sample.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for washing a plurality of fluid samples are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a system for washing a plurality of fluid samples respectively located within a plurality of cuvettes includes a rotor configured to rotate the plurality of cuvettes about an axis, a traveler mechanism located beneath the rotor, the traveler mechanism configured to move a plurality of magnets parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor to position the plurality of magnets so that each cuvette of the plurality of cuvettes is located adjacent to at least one magnet of the plurality of magnets, and a wash system located above the rotor, the wash system configured to at least one of inject fluid into or aspirate fluid from the plurality of the cuvettes, while the plurality of magnets suspend magnetic particles located within each of the plurality of cuvettes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus that mix a plurality of individual capture reagents for the diagnostic assays are described herein. In an embodiment, a system for optically analyzing a patient sample includes an automated immunochemistry analyzer storing a plurality of capture reagents and a plurality of paramagnetic particles, a user interface configured to allow a selection of a combination of two or more of the capture reagents, and a logic implementer configured to cause the automated immunochemistry analyzer to (i) mix together each capture reagent of the combination of two or more of the capture reagents; (ii) bind the mixture of the combination of two or more of the capture reagents to the paramagnetic particles; (iii) bind the patient sample to the bound mixture of the combination of two or more of the capture reagents; and (iv) optically analyze the patient sample.

Abstract: A quantitative method for diagnosing an autoimmune disease or an infectious disease comprising performing an automated diagnostic assay, comprising: incubating a capture reagent with a streptavidin-coated medium to form a solid phase complex, wherein the capture reagent is a biotinylated autoantigen or infectious disease antigen; washing the solid phase complex to remove excess capture reagent; incubating the solid phase complex with a serum sample to form an immune complex; washing the immune complex to remove any unbound sample; incubating the immune complex with a conjugate to create an immune-conjugate complex; washing the immune-conjugate complex to remove any unbound conjugate; introducing a substrate capable of generating a quantifiable response; and calibrating the response generated from introducing the substrate.

Abstract: A quantitative method for performing an automated diagnostic assay, comprising: incubating a capture reagent with a streptavidin-coated medium to form a solid phase complex; washing the solid phase complex to remove excess capture reagent; incubating the solid phase complex with a serum sample to form an immune complex; washing the immune complex to remove any unbound sample; incubating the immune complex with a conjugate to create an immune-conjugate complex; washing the immune-conjugate complex to remove any unbound conjugate; introducing a substrate capable of generating a quantifiable response; and calibrating the response generated from introducing the substrate.

Abstract: A quantitative method for diagnosing an autoimmune disease or an infectious disease comprising performing an automated diagnostic assay, comprising: incubating a capture reagent with a streptavidin-coated medium to form a solid phase complex, wherein the capture reagent is a biotinylated autoantigen or infectious disease antigen; washing the solid phase complex to remove excess capture reagent; incubating the solid phase complex with a serum sample to form an immune complex; washing the immune complex to remove any unbound sample; incubating the immune complex with a conjugate to create an immune-conjugate complex; washing the immune-conjugate complex to remove any unbound conjugate; introducing a substrate capable of generating a quantifiable response; and calibrating the response generated from introducing the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of optically analyzing fluid within a pipette are described herein. In an embodiment, an optical reader subassembly includes a housing including an internal area, a container configured to hold a fluid sample at a sample position in a light tight manner within the internal area of the housing, a light source configured to project light onto the fluid sample within the container, and an optical sensor configured to move between different sensor positions while the fluid sample remains stationary at the sample position, the different sensor positions including at least two of: (i) a first sensor position for taking a luminescence reading of the fluid sample; (ii) a second sensor position for taking a dark current or other background measurement; and (iii) a third sensor position for taking a fluorescence reading of the fluid sample.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of optically analyzing fluid within a pipette are described herein. In an embodiment, an optical reader subassembly includes a pipette having a tip, the pipette configured to aspirate a fluid sample and hold the fluid sample within the tip, a housing including a reentrant seal and an internal area, the housing configured to receive at least the tip of the pipette through the reentrant seal so that the tip of the pipette is located in a light tight manner within the internal area, a light source positioned to be in proximity to the tip of the pipette when the tip of the pipette is received by the housing, the light source configured to project light through the tip of the pipette and onto the fluid sample held within the tip, and an optical sensor configured to take a reading of the fluid sample held within the tip of the pipette without any of the fluid sample being injected from the pipette.

Abstract: A quantitative method for performing an automated diagnostic assay, comprising: incubating a capture reagent with a streptavidin-coated medium to form a solid phase complex; washing the solid phase complex to remove excess capture reagent; incubating the solid phase complex with a serum sample to form an immune complex; washing the immune complex to remove any unbound sample; incubating the immune complex with a conjugate to create an immune-conjugate complex; washing the immune-conjugate complex to remove any unbound conjugate; introducing a substrate capable of generating a quantifiable response; and calibrating the response generated from introducing the substrate.

Abstract: A quantitative method for diagnosing an autoimmune disease or an infectious disease comprising performing an automated diagnostic assay, comprising: incubating a capture reagent with a streptavidin-coated medium to form a solid phase complex, wherein the capture reagent is a biotinylated autoantigen or infectious disease antigen; washing the solid phase complex to remove excess capture reagent; incubating the solid phase complex with a serum sample to form an immune complex; washing the immune complex to remove any unbound sample; incubating the immune complex with a conjugate to create an immune-conjugate complex; washing the immune-conjugate complex to remove any unbound conjugate; introducing a substrate capable of generating a quantifiable response; and calibrating the response generated from introducing the substrate.

Abstract: A quantitative method for diagnosing an autoimmune disease or an infectious disease comprising performing an automated diagnostic assay, comprising: incubating a capture reagent with a streptavidin-coated medium to form a solid phase complex, wherein the capture reagent is a biotinylated autoantigen or infectious disease antigen; washing the solid phase complex to remove excess capture reagent; incubating the solid phase complex with a serum sample to form an immune complex; washing the immune complex to remove any unbound sample; incubating the immune complex with a conjugate to create an immune-conjugate complex; washing the immune-conjugate complex to remove any unbound conjugate; introducing a substrate capable of generating a quantifiable response; and calibrating the response generated from introducing the substrate.