Ian K Macgregor

US Patent:

7632675, Dec 15, 2009

Filed:

Jun 7, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/863584

Inventors:

Andrey J. Zarur - Winchester MA, US
Seth T. Rodgers - Somerville MA, US
Todd A. Basque - Danvers MA, US
Ian K. MacGregor - Merrimack NH, US
Timothy J. Johnson - Andover MA, US

Assignee:

BioProcessors Corp. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

C12M 1/02
C12M 3/02

US Classification:

4352873, 4352862, 4353031, 4353033, 435809, 422 64

Abstract:

This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for manipulating chambers and other substrates for chemical, biological, or biochemical samples, such as cell culture and other chambers, within units such as incubators. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a technique for maintaining a plurality of substrates or chambers in a housing within which a predetermined environment is maintained, and moving substrates or chambers in and out of the housing, in some cases without creating a large opening in the housing (e. g. , by opening a door significantly larger than the substrates). A technique is provided, in certain embodiments, in which a plurality of substrates are mounted in fixed, secured relation to each other within a housing providing a predetermined, controlled environment, and are moved within the housing so that they can be evenly exposed to any differences in environment within the housing. In still another embodiment, the invention provides a method for rotating a substrate or chamber about a substantially vertical and/or horizontal axis.

US Patent:

20050026273, Feb 3, 2005

Filed:

Jun 7, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/863636

Inventors:

Andrey Zarur - Winchester MA, US
Ian MacGregor - Merrimack NH, US
Todd Basque - Danvers MA, US
Seth Rodgers - Somerville MA, US
A. Russo - Woburn MA, US
Sean Leblanc - Westminster MA, US

International Classification:

C12M001/36

US Classification:

435286100, 422063000, 435305300, 435288500

Abstract:

The present invention provides techniques for conveniently and reliably storing and/or retrieving data associated with a chemical, biological, or biochemical chip, reactor, or reaction system. The data can pertain to the reactor; to chemical, biological, or biochemical species introduced into, taken from, or otherwise associated with the reactor; to conditions to which the reactor and/or some or all of its contents has been, is being, or will be exposed to, or the like. Various aspects of the present invention relate to memory and data storage components suitable for use in chips or other reaction systems. These components may include silicon integrated circuits, magnetic media, optical media, radio-frequency tags, smart cards, bar-codes and other kinds of data storage devices. The chip may contain a reaction site having a volume of less than about 2 ml. In some embodiments, the chip may be constructed in such a way as to be able to support a living cell. The chip may be used for imaging or analysis, or the chip may be used to facilitate a chemical or biological reaction, which may be light-sensitive or light-activated in certain cases. Other facilitated reactions may include the production and/or consumption of a chemical or biological species. In some embodiments, the chip may include more than one component or component type, and/or more than one reaction site.

US Patent:

20050037485, Feb 17, 2005

Filed:

Jun 7, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/863585

Inventors:

Seth Rodgers - Somerville MA, US
Ian MacGregor - Merrimack NH, US
Todd Basque - Danvers MA, US
Scott Miller - Somerville MA, US
Zhimin Lu - Chelmsford MA, US
Andrey Zarur - Winchester MA, US
Mohamed Shaheen - Methuen MA, US

International Classification:

C12M001/34
C12Q001/70

US Classification:

435287200

Abstract:

Disclosed are systems and methods for manipulating chemical, biological, and/or biochemical samples, optionally supported on substrates and/or within chambers, for example biological samples contained on chips, within biological chambers, etc. In certain embodiments, an apparatus configured to be able to position a chamber or other substrate in one or more modules surrounding the apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may be configured to be able to move the chamber or substrate in any set of directions, such as radially, vertically, and/or rotationally, with respect to the apparatus. The apparatus may be manually operated and/or automatically controlled. Examples of modules include, but are not limited to, stacking or holding modules, barcode readers, filling modules, sampling modules, incubation modules, sensor modules (e.g., for determining cell density, cell viability, pH, oxygen concentration, nutrient concentration, fluorescence measurements, etc.), assay modules (e.g., for ELISA or other biological assays), data analysis and management modules, control modules, etc. Sensors, control systems, and the like may also be positioned to facilitate operation of the device. Certain embodiments of the invention may be used, for example, to promote or optimize chemical synthesis or cell or biological growth, for instance, for the production of compounds such as drugs or other therapeutics.

US Patent:

20050106714, May 19, 2005

Filed:

Aug 27, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/927789

Inventors:

Andrey Zarur - Winchester MA, US
Todd Basque - Danvers MA, US
Derek Stevens - Boston MA, US
Nicholas Flannery - Brockton MA, US
Seth Rodgers - Somerville MA, US
A. Russo - Woburn MA, US
Scott Miller - Somerville MA, US
Ian MacGregor - Merrimack NH, US

International Classification:

C12M003/00

US Classification:

435288400, 435305300

Abstract:

The present invention generally relates to chips, particularly microfluidic chips, that are rotatable and/or have a generally circular or rotationally symmetric geometry. The chips may be substantially planar in certain instances. In some cases, the chips of the invention can have more than one reaction site, which can, for example, contain cells. The reaction site can be very small, in some cases with a volume of less than about 1 ml. Reactions, transport, and/or other manipulations within the chip can be facilitated by rotating the chip, for example, at tens, hundreds or thousands of revolutions per minute (RPM). In some cases, data may also be written to and/or read from the chip. The chips of the invention can be used, for example, to move fluid from one portion of a chip to another, to concentrate and/or separate a mixture (e.g., a cell suspension), to lyse or fractionate a cell, or the like.

US Patent:

20070207450, Sep 6, 2007

Filed:

Oct 20, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/584042

Inventors:

Seth Rodgers - Somerville MA, US
Ian MacGregor - Merrimack NH, US
Todd Basque - Danvers MA, US
Scott Miller - Somerville MA, US
Zhimin Lu - Woburn MA, US
Andrey Zarur - Winchester MA, US
Mohamed Shaheen - Methuen MA, US

Assignee:

BioProcessors Corp. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

C12Q 3/00
C12M 1/36

US Classification:

435003000, 435286200, 435287300

Abstract:

Disclosed are systems and methods for manipulating chemical, biological, and/or biochemical samples, optionally supported on substrates and/or within chambers, for example biological samples contained on chips, within biological chambers, etc. In certain embodiments, an apparatus configured to be able to position a chamber or other substrate in one or more modules surrounding the apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may be configured to be able to move the chamber or substrate in any set of directions, such as radially, vertically, and/or rotationally, with respect to the apparatus. The apparatus may be manually operated and/or automatically controlled. Examples of modules include, but are not limited to, stacking or holding modules, barcode readers, filling modules, sampling modules, incubation modules, sensor modules (e.g., for determining cell density, cell viability, pH, oxygen concentration, nutrient concentration, fluorescence measurements, etc.), assay modules (e.g., for ELISA or other biological assays), data analysis and management modules, control modules, etc. Sensors, control systems, and the like may also be positioned to facilitate operation of the device. Certain embodiments of the invention may be used, for example, to promote or optimize chemical synthesis or cell or biological growth, for instance, for the production of compounds such as drugs or other therapeutics.