Patent ID: 6471916
Filing Date: 2002-10-29
Classification: B01J,C12Q,G01N,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A microarray scanning system consisting of:a planar substrate supporting a plurality of target spots containing genetic material and a plurality of dilution spots, each dilution spot having a predetermined concentration of fluorophore material; and a means for calibrating said microarray scanning system, wherein said means for calibrating consists of: irradiating means for irradiating the substrate, means for adjusting the irradiating means to irradiate only the plurality of dilution spots without irradiating the target spots during a calibration operation; means for detecting emission radiation produced by the dilution spot fluorophore material in response to the irradiating means irradiating only the dilution spots during a calibration operation; means for deriving a plurality of brightness readings, each said brightness reading corresponding to the level of emission radiation detected at a corresponding dilution spot; means for analyzing said plurality of brightness readings to obtain a fluorophore brightness characteristic associated with the substrate as a function of fluorophore concentration based on the predetermined concentrations of fluorophore in the dilution spots; and means for adjusting the sensitivity of said microarray scanning system for use of the system to scan the target spots on the substrate in a measurement operation, said means adjusting settings of one or more of the irradiating means and the means for detecting in response to said fluorophore brightness characteristic.