Patent ID: 8895267
Filing Date: 2014-11-25
Classification: B01L,C12Q

Abstract:
1. A method of testing at least one first biological sample, the method comprising: selecting randomly the first biological sample having an initial first NA concentration of a first nucleic acid (NA); isolating and purifying the first NA by magnetically capturing the first NA contained in the first biological sample; eluting the magnetically-captured first NA using a first aqueous elution buffer, to re-suspend the magnetically-captured first NA in the first aqueous elution buffer to form a purified first NA in solution; adding a pre-determined first reagent mixture to the purified first NA in solution to provide a first reaction liquid; performing a continuous random access polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing on the first reaction liquid through multiple PCR cycles consisting of denaturing, annealing, and elongating thermal cycles; wherein the continuous random access PCR testing is performed continuously and randomly using a multi-vessel thermal cycler array; wherein the first reaction liquid is randomly inserted into and extracted from a first single thermal cycler in the multi-vessel thermal cycler array for the continuous random access PCR testing including a first temperature and a first thermal cycle; wherein a second reaction liquid of at least one second biological sample can be continuously and randomly inserted into and extracted from a second single vessel thermal cycler optionally adjacent to the first single thermal cycler in the multi-vessel thermal cycler array and can undergo continuously the continuous random access PCR testing including a second temperature and a second thermal cycle concurrently with the continuous random access PCR testing of the first reaction liquid, the second biological sample having an initial second NA concentration of a second NA, the second NA being different from the first NA, the second temperature and the second thermal cycle being different from the first temperature and the first thermal cycle; and estimating the initial first NA concentration of the first biological sample.