US 12,461,114 B2
Biological sample processing system and microfluidic cartridge therefor
Pierre Joris, Pully (CH); Deniz Eroglu, Lausanne (CH); Diego Dupouy, Préverenges (CH); Benjamin Pelz, Lausanne (CH); and Marco Ammann, Lausanne (CH)
Assigned to LUNAPHORE TECHNOLOGIES SA, Tolochenaz (CH)
Appl. No. 17/754,176
Filed by LUNAPHORE TECHNOLOGIES SA, Tolochenaz (CH)
PCT Filed Sep. 25, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/076978
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 25, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/058782, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 1, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19200101 (EP), filed on Sep. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0291246 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 35/00 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01L 9/00 (2006.01); G01N 1/31 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/00029 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502715 (2013.01); B01L 9/50 (2013.01); B01L 9/527 (2013.01); G01N 1/312 (2013.01); B01L 2200/027 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0689 (2013.01); B01L 2200/16 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A biological sample processing system comprising:
an imaging unit having a digital image processing system and at least one microscope including at least one lens;
a sample processing station comprising a handling platform including a support and a displacement mechanism for moving the support; and
a sample processing unit mounted on the handling platform, wherein the sample processing unit comprises a tissue slide holder configured for mounting thereon a tissue slide with a biological sample fixed thereon and a microfluidic cartridge holder configured for mounting a microfluidic cartridge thereon, the tissue slide holder is coupled to the microfluidic cartridge holder via a coupling allowing the microfluidic cartridge and a tissue support to be mounted and removed from the sample processing unit in an opened position and in a closed position for the tissue support to be in sealing contact with the microfluidic cartridge in a closed position, the sample processing station comprises a plurality of said sample processing units mounted on the handling platform and moveable from a position allowing mounting of the tissue slide, respectively microfluidic cartridge, or removal thereof, to a position in which a viewing window in the microfluidic cartridge holder is positioned in alignment with the at least one lens of said at least one microscope, and each sample processing unit is coupled to at least one reagent supply tube and at least one reagent outlet tube such that image capture, reagent-based processing of the biological sample, and mounting or removal of the tissue slide can be performed simultaneously across a plurality of said sample processing units.