Patent AU-2015215836-A1 (AU)
Title: Apparatus and methods for aliquotting frozen samples
Inventor: LARSON DALE N
IPC: G01N1/42
Filed: 2015-08-18
Abstract: (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date W O 2012/074771 A2 7 June 2012 (07.06.2012) W I PO I P CT (51) International Patent Classification: (74) Agents: WALTERS, N. Chris et al.; Senniger Powers GO1N1/08 (2006.01) GO1N1/28 (2006.01) LLP, 100 North Broadway, 17th Floor, St. Louis, Missouri GO1N 1/42 (2006.01) 63102 (US). (21) International Application Number: (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every PCT/US2011/061214 kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, (22) International Filing Date: AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ, 17 November 2011 (17.11.2011) CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, Fl, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, (25) Filing Language: English HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP, KR, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, (26) Publication Language: English MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, (30) Priority Data: OM, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SC, SD, 61/418,688 1 December 2010 (01.12.2010) US SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (71) Applicants (for all designated States except US): PRES IDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every [US/US]; 17 Quincy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, 02138 (US). CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORAT- GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, ORY, INC. [US/US]; 555 Technology Square, Cambridge, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, Massachusetts 02139 (US). TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, Fl, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, (72) Inventors; and LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, (75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only): LARSON, Dale, N. SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, [US/US]; c/o Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc, 555 GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (US). BELLIO, Stephen, L. [US/US]; c/o Charles Stark Published: Draper Laboratory, Inc, 555 Technology Square, Cam- - without international search report and to be republished bridge, Massachusetts 02139 (US). SLUSARZ, John upon receipt of that report (Rule 48.2(g)) [US/US]; c/o President and Fellows of Harvard College, 17 Quincy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (US). (54) Title: APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR ALIQUOTTING FROZEN SAMPLES 129 -103 183 1311215 185-* 277 123J131 183 FIG. 2 3 8 25 (57) Abstract: A method of obtaining an aliquot of a frozen sample contained in a container includes moving a coring device into the sample and then withdrawing it to obtain a frozen sample core. The location from which the core is taken is selected to be at a ra dial position where the concentration of at least one substance of interest in the frozen sample core is representative of the overall concentration of that substance in the sample notwithstanding any concentration gradients that may exist in the frozen sample. An f4 other method includes taking two different frozen sample cores from the same sample from radial positions selected such that the concentration of one or more substances of interest in the combined sample cores is representative of the overall concentration of said at least one substance in the sample notwithstanding any radial concentration gradients. A robotic system is programmed or hardwired to implement the methods.