Abstract: The microarrays of the present invention are prepared by using a separate fiber for each compound being used in the microarray. The fibers are bundled and sectioned to form a thin microarray that is glued to a backing.

Abstract: Microarrays are prepared by using a separate fiber for each compound being used in the microarray. The fibers are bundled and sectioned to form a thin microarray that is glued to a backing.

Abstract: An apparatus for expressing and unloading an isoelectric focusing gel from an electrophoresis gel tube includes a first support for supporting the gel tube, a plunger rod and a second support for supporting the plunger rod. The first support is mounted on a movable carriage and is moved toward the second support so that the gel tube slides onto the plunger rod to unload the gel from the gel tube. A plurality of gel tubes can be mounted in a rack and the rack coupled to the first support. The first support preferably includes a plurality of openings oriented with the gel tubes for guiding a respective plunger rod through the axial passage of the gel tubes. In preferred embodiments, the second support supporting the plunger rods is substantially stationary while the first support moves toward the second support so that the gel tubes slide onto the plunger rods.

Abstract: An apparatus for expressing and unloading an isoelectric focusing gel from an electrophoresis gel tube includes a first support for supporting the gel tube, a plunger rod and a second support for supporting the plunger rod. The first support is mounted on a movable carriage and is moved toward the second support so that the gel tube slides onto the plunger rod to unload the gel from the gel tube. A plurality of gel tubes can be mounted in a rack and the rack coupled to the first support. The first support preferably includes a plurality of openings oriented with the gel tubes for guiding a respective plunger rod through the axial passage of the gel tubes. In preferred embodiments, the second support supporting the plunger rods is substantially stationary while the first support moves toward the second support so that the gel tubes slide onto the plunger rods.

Abstract: An automated assembly for performing first dimension electrophoresis is described herein that includes a supply magazine, an electrophoresis tank and an automated transferring device that robotically transfers biological samples from sample vials retained in the supply magazine, and delivers the biological samples one by one to tube gels supported in a rack within the electrophoresis tank. The transferring device is configured to move in three dimensions with respect to the supply magazine and the rack for flexible sample delivery.

Abstract: Removal of abundant proteins from a sample enhances detection and resolution of less abundant proteins in the sample such as in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The removal is accomplished by immunosubtraction of several high abundance, interfering or contaminating proteins simultaneously.

Abstract: The microarrays of the present invention are prepared by using a separate fiber for each compound being used in the microarray. The fibers are bundled and sectioned to form a thin microarray that is glued to a backing.

Abstract: A method is disclosed which relates to the placement of binding partners on microarrays, where such binding partners contain proteins, nucleic acids, biological cells and other bio-reactive components. The present invention discloses uses and methods for manufacture of microarrays constructed in part by sectioning bundles of tubules or rods containing matrix immobilized bio-reactive molecules to produce large numbers of sample chips. The chips so produced are processed by deposition to microarrays. The deposited chips can then be manipulated to partition the immobilizing matrix away from the bio-reactive molecules contained in the matrix and to place said partitioned molecules onto various surfaces for subsequent analysis, to include binding assays, hybridization reactions, diagnostic methods and a variety of cell interaction-determining methodologies.

Abstract: An automated high-throughput system for excising spots or samples from an electrophoresis slab gel includes a computer controlled robotic arm assembly and a sample plate handling assembly for supplying a sample plate to a loading station. The computer is connected to a scanner and imaging device to identify selected sample locations on the slab gel and to direct the robotic arm to the selected locations for excising the gel spots. The cutting assembly includes a removable tray for supporting the slab gel during the cutting process and is coupled to the automated sample plate handling assembly. The sample plate handling assembly delivers a multiwell plate to the cutting assembly for receiving the gel spots. The removable tray cooperates with a scanner for identifying protein spots and includes a positioning device to position the tray in the scanner and the cutting assembly in selected locations to coordinate the scanned image with the cutting process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extracting, identifying, and manipulating proteins or peptides from a solution uses paramagnetic beads having a coating with an affinity for the target component. In one embodiment, paramagnetic beads coated with C18 are used to adsorb proteins and peptides. The beads can be used to purify, immobilize and assay antibodies. By cycling the beads, many times greater molar amount of binding partner may be separated from a solution. A magnetic probe is used to capture the beads and transfer the beads to selected processing stages.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated, fully automated, high-throughput system for two-dimensional electrophoresis comprised of gel-making machines, gel processing machines, gel compositions and geometries, gel handling systems, sample preparation systems, software and methods. The system is capable of continuous operation at high-throughput to allow construction of large quantitative data sets.

Abstract: A method for separating microorganisms, especially infectious agents, from a mixture by two dimensional centrifugation on the basis of sedimentation rate and isopycnic banding density, for sedimenting such microorganisms through zones of immobilized reagents to which they are resistant, for detecting banded particles by light scatter or fluorescence using nucleic acid specific dyes, and for recovering the banded particles in very small volumes for characterization by mass spectrometry of viral protein subunits and intact viral particles, and by fluorescence flow cytometric determination of both nucleic acid mass and the masses of fragments produced by restriction enzymes. The method is based on the discovery that individual microorganisms, such as bacterial and viral species, are each physically relatively homogeneous, and are distinguishable in their biophysical properties from other biological particles, and from non-biological particles found in nature.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated, fully automated, high-throughput system for two-dimensional electrophoresis comprised of gel-making machines, gel processing machines, gel compositions and geometries, gel handling systems, sample preparation systems, software and methods. The system is capable of continuous operation at high-throughput to allow construction of large quantitative data sets.

Abstract: An alignment plate is provided with a plurality of holes for guiding a pipette tip toward a sample plate of a MALDI mass spectrometer. Each of the holes is provided with a conical upper contour in order to guide the pipette tip toward a specific location on the sample plate. Two companion alignment plates are used in order to overlay two separate arrays of samples on the sample plate. For instance, a first of two alignment plates is formed with a 10×10 array of holes so that a 10×10 array of samples is deposited by the pipette tip onto the sample plate. The second of the two alignment plates is formed with a 9×9 array of holes so that a 9×9 array of samples is deposited on the sample plate at locations offset from the 10×10 array of samples already on the sample plate. The number of samples loaded on the sample plate is large and the space on the sample plate is more fully utilized.

Abstract: Data acquisition and cataloging are used to classify polypeptides into a reference index or database. The database can be used to identify previously unidentified samples. New polypeptides are characterized and added to the database.

Abstract: An automated apparatus for carrying out a first dimension electrophoresis separation of proteins and other macromolecules includes a supply magazine, an automated transferring device and an electrophoresis tank. The supply magazine includes a carousel for storing sample containers, a bar code reader, a holding device and an arm for transferring the sample container from the carousel to the bar code reader and the holding device. The transferring device includes a reciprocating pipette that is able to remove a sample from a sample container and deliver the sample to a selected gel tube in the electrophoresis tank. The tank includes a rack supporting a plurality of gel tubes and includes a chamber for containing a buffer solution in contact with one end of the gel tubes. The chamber includes a top wall with an opening having a guide surface for guiding the pipette through the chamber to the top end of the gel tubes.

Abstract: Data acquisition and cataloging are used to classify polypeptides into a reference index or database. The database can be used to identify previously unidentified samples. New polypeptides are characterized and added to the database.

Abstract: The isolation and characterization of multiple viruses from a sample is provided.

Abstract: Microarrays are prepared by using a separate fiber for each compound being used in the microarray. The fibers are bundled and sectioned to form a thin microarray that may be glued to a backing.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated, fully automated, high-throughput system for two-dimensional electrophoresis comprised of gel-making machines, gel processing machines, gel compositions and geometries, gel handling systems, sample preparation systems, software and methods. The system is capable of continuous operation at high-throughput to allow construction of large quantitative data sets.