Patent ID: 8828683
Filing Date: 2014-09-09
Classification: G01N,G02B

Abstract:
1. A method for dissecting and collecting specimens, comprising: (a) placing a sample onto a slide of a laser dissection microscope, the slide being translatable in its plane of extension, (b) cutting one or more specimens from the sample wherein each specimen is smaller than the entire sample, wherein the position of each specimen is input into a controller, and (c) collecting the dissected specimens by lowering an adherent collection device centered on the optical axis onto the sample, wherein the adherent collection device, in its lowered state, adheres to the sample, is freely translatable with the slide and decoupled from the optical axis of the microscope, and, in its raised state, is fixed relative to the optical axis, (d) wherein the following steps are performed if the next specimen to be dissected is located outside of a predetermined collection radius of the adherent collection device: (i) raising the adherent collection device, (ii) translating the slide to a given position relative to the optical axis of the microscope, in order to decenter the center of the next specimen to be dissected from the optical axis of the microscope, (iii) lowering the adherent collecting device onto the sample, (iv) adhering one or more subsequent specimens onto the adherent collection device, and (v) dissecting the one or more subsequent specimens, wherein, after each step of raising the adherent collection device, the predetermined position is spaced apart from all previously determined positions by at least one predetermined distance to allow collection of more than one specimen in a referenceable manner on a single adherent collection device, wherein, prior to each dissection, the next specimen to be dissected is centered in the optical axis of the microscope.