Susan Parker Stone

US Patent:

20020192808, Dec 19, 2002

Filed:

Aug 9, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/216620

Inventors:

Michael Gambini - Bolton MA, US
Susan Stone - Charlotte VT, US
Judith Atwood - Redding CT, US
Eugene Young - Foster City CA, US
Edward Lakatos - Bethel CT, US
Anthony Cerrone - New Haven CT, US

International Classification:

C12M001/34

US Classification:

435/287200, 435/288700

Abstract:

An optical instrument monitors PCR replication of DNA in a reaction apparatus having a temperature cycled block with vials of reaction ingredients including dye that fluoresces in presence of double-stranded DNA. A beam splitter passes an excitation beam to the vials to fluoresce the dye. An emission beam from the dye is passed by the beam splitter to a CCD detector from which a processor computes DNA concentration. A reference strip with a plurality of reference emitters emit reference beams of different intensity, from which the processor selects an optimum emitter for compensating for drift. Exposure time is automatically adjusted for keeping within optimum dynamic ranges of the CCD and processor. A module of the beam splitter and associated optical filters is associated with selected dye, and is replaceable for different dyes.

US Patent:

20030148505, Aug 7, 2003

Filed:

Feb 20, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/370846

Inventors:

Michael Gambini - Bolton MA, US
John Atwood - Redding CT, US
Susan Stone - Charlotte VT, US
Judith Atwood - Redding CT, US
Eugene Young - Foster City CA, US
Edward Lakatos - Bethel CT, US
Anthony Cerrone - New Haven CT, US

International Classification:

C12M001/34

US Classification:

435/287200, 435/288400, 435/288700

Abstract:

An optical instrument monitors PCR replication of DNA in a reaction apparatus having a temperature cycled block with vials of reaction ingredients including dye that fluoresces in presence of double-stranded DNA. A beam splitter passes an excitation beam to the vials to fluoresce the dye. An emission beam from the dye is passed by the beam splitter to a CCD detector from which a processor computes DNA concentration. A reference strip with a plurality of reference emitters emit reference beams of different intensity, from which the processor selects an optimum emitter for compensating for drift. Exposure time is automatically adjusted for keeping within optimum dynamic ranges of the CCD and processor. A module of the beam splitter and associated optical filters is associated with selected dye, and is replaceable for different dyes.

US Patent:

20060088444, Apr 27, 2006

Filed:

Oct 18, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/251873

Inventors:

Michael Gambini - Bolton MA, US
John Voyta - Sudbury MA, US
John Atwood - Redding CT, US
Susan Atwood Stone - Redding CT, US
Bruce DeSimas - Danville CA, US
Edward Lakatos - Bethel CT, US
Jeff Levi - Trumbull CT, US
Israel Metal - Flushing NY, US
George Sabak - Monroe CT, US
Yongdong Wang - Wilton CT, US

International Classification:

G01N 21/64

US Classification:

422082080

Abstract:

In a luminescence detecting apparatus and method for analyzing luminescent samples, luminescent samples are placed in a plurality of sample wells in a tray, and the tray is placed in a visible-light impervious chamber containing a charge coupled device camera. In the chamber, light from the luminescent samples pass through a collimator, a Fresnel field lens, an infrared filter, and a camera lens, whereupon a focused image is created by the optics on the camera. The use of an infrared filter suppresses stray IR radiation resulting from plate phosphorescence (which can result in abnormally high backgrounds and/or alteration of the image received by the camera).