Patent Publication Number: US-2007111301-A1

Title: Biological information inspection system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      This invention relates to a biological information inspection system for conducting inspection for biological information such as genes and analyzing obtained biological information.  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      Analysis of biological information such as genes and use of obtained results for prevention and treatment of disease have been carried out. As devices for inspecting and analyzing biological information such as genes, analytical instruments and sensors are known, for example, which are described in a non-patent document (Kazuo HARA et al., “Genome mapping of Type 2 diabetes and susceptibility genes”,  Experimental Medicine  (Yodosha Co., Ltd. in Japan), January 2003, pp. 5-10). These conventional analytical instruments and sensors, however, are mostly to detect a single target and output a single decision. Nowadays, however, new findings are often obtained by analyzing a plurality of pieces of biological information obtained by a plurality of kinds of detection techniques. Therefore, in order to provide advanced analysis and evaluation results, it is demanded to accumulate highly reproducible data obtained in a plurality of detection techniques and analyze the accumulated related data by linking them with each other.  
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
     Problems to be Dissolved by the Invention  
      However, with the conventional analytical instruments and sensors, analysis has been made only based on results in individual inspection techniques and comprehensive analysis of a plurality of inspection results (biological information) obtained from a plurality of inspection techniques cannot be made.  
      Even if a plurality of detection techniques are carried out, conventional inspections are often conducted by separate devices under different conditions. Therefore, even if there are any, related data are not analyzed precisely due to a difference in conditions, or the obtained data need to be compensated to adjust the difference in conditions. Accordingly, it has been difficult to accumulate highly reproducible data efficiently.  
      The present invention has been conceived in view of the above circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to provide a biological information inspection system capable of accumulating highly reproducible data (biological information) in a plurality of inspection means (inspection techniques) and provide a biological information inspection system capable of providing advanced analysis and evaluation results by analyzing the accumulated related data. It is another object of the present invention to provide a biological information inspection system improved in simplicity and compactness in the above biological information inspection system.  
     Means for Dissolving the Problems  
      (First Means)  
      A biological information inspection system of the present invention, which dissolves the above problems, is characterized by comprising: a plurality of inspection means for detecting biological information; a plurality of kinds of sensor chips corresponding respectively to the plurality of inspection means; a sensor chip holding portion for holding the sensor chips; a sensor chip identifying portion for identifying which of the inspection means one of the sensor chips placed corresponds to, upon the one of the sensor chips being placed in the sensor chip holding portion; a control means for operating the one of the inspection means corresponding to an identification result of the sensor chip identifying portion; a memory means for storing inspection results of the inspection means; and an analysis means for making a multifactorial analysis of characteristics of a living organism from a plurality of inspection results obtained by using the plurality of inspection means.  
      Each of the sensor chips can comprise a cartridge of a mode corresponding to the sensor chip holding portion and a detection portion of a mode corresponding to each of the plurality of inspection means can be attached to the cartridge.  
      Moreover, each of the sensor chips employable has a marker portion of a different mode with each corresponding inspection means and the sensor chip identifying portion reads a difference of the marker portion.  
      The system can further be so structured that a construction in which each of the sensor chips comprises a cartridge portion having a common shape among the plurality of kinds of sensor chips in order to be held by the sensor chip holding portion; a detection portion corresponding to one of the plurality of inspection means; and a marker portion indicating which of the plurality of inspection means the detection portion corresponds to; and the biological information inspection system further comprises a data reading portion for acquiring two-dimensional information of the detection portion and the marker portion; which of the inspection means the detection portion corresponds to being identified from the two-dimensional information of the marker portion and biological information being detected from the two-dimensional information of the detection portion by the one of the inspection means corresponding to the detection portion.  
      The data reading portion employable acquires image data of the detection portion and the marker portion.  
      The system can further be so structured that each of the sensor chips has the detection portion and the marker portion arranged side by side in one direction, and the data reading portion comprises a line sensor, the line sensor acquiring images of the marker portion and the detection portion by scanning in the direction in which the marker portion and the detection portion of each of the sensor chips are arranged side by side.  
      Moreover, the marker portion employable is a bar code or patterned indentations formed on each of the sensor chips.  
      (Second Means)  
      A biological information inspection system of the present invention, which also dissolves the above problems, is a biological information inspection system characterized by comprising: a plurality of inspection means for detecting different kinds of biological information respectively; a plurality of kinds of sensor chips corresponding to the plurality of inspection means; and a sensor chip holding portion capable of holding the plurality of kinds of sensor chips,  
      each of the sensor chips comprising: a cartridge member having a common shape among the plurality of kinds of sensor chips in order to be held by the sensor chip holding portion; a detection portion corresponding to one of the plurality of inspection means; a marker portion indicating which of the plurality of inspection means the detection portion corresponds to,  
      the biological information inspection system further comprising a data reading portion for acquiring two-dimensional information of the detection portion and the marker portion,  
      which of the inspection means the detection portion corresponds to being identified from the two-dimensional information of the marker portion, and biological information being detected from the two-dimensional information of the detection portion by the one of the inspection means corresponding to the detection portion.  
      It is to be noted that the inspection means in the present means is a device having a biological information detection means for detecting biological information from two-dimensional information of a detection portion. Here, the biological information detection means can calculate two-dimensional information data, which is produced by converting two-dimensional information of the detection portion into electronic data, by a particular algorithm, and converting the two-dimensional information data into biological information data indicating a particular piece of biological information. This particular algorithm is executed by a data calculation unit for executing a program corresponding to this algorithm. At this time, the algorithm for converting the two-dimensional information data of the detection portion into biological information data can be different with the kind of a sample on the detection portion and desired biological information.  
      Here, comprising “a plurality of inspection means” in the present means indicates that the system is provided with “a plurality of biological information detection means”. Even when the system is provided with only one data reading portion, having a plurality of biological information detection means is regarded as comprising a plurality of inspection means. Further, data calculation carried out by “biological information detection means” is actually carried out by a data calculation unit, but “having a plurality of biological information detection means” does not necessarily indicate having a plurality of data calculation units. Namely, even if there is actually only one data calculation unit, a case in which a plurality of programs for detecting different kinds of biological information are executed by the only one data calculation unit is regarded as “having a plurality of biological information detection means”.  
      The data reading portion employable acquires image data of the detection portion and the marker portion.  
      The system can further be so structured that each of the sensor chips has the detection portion and the marker portion arranged side by side in one direction, and the data reading portion comprises a line sensor, the line sensor acquiring images of the marker portion and the detection portion by scanning in the direction in which the marker portion and the detection portion of each of the sensor chips are arranged side by side.  
      Moreover, the marker portion employable is a bar code or patterned indentations formed on each of the sensor chips.  
     Advantages of the Invention  
      (1) In the above first means, since the system comprises a plurality of inspection means and a sensor chip holding portion in which a plurality of kinds of sensor chips corresponding to the plurality of inspection means can be placed, a plurality of inspections can be conducted by one system. Beside, since the plurality of inspections can be conducted by placing the sensor chips in the same sensor chip holding portion, variations in inspection results between a plurality of inspections can be reduced.  
      Moreover, the inspection results of the plurality of inspections are stored in a memory means soon after the inspections, and analyzed by an analysis means based on related information already stored. Therefore, advance analysis and evaluation results can be provided by accumulating highly reproducible data in a plurality of inspection means (inspection techniques) and analyzing the accumulated related data.  
      Besides, since each of the sensor chips comprises a cartridge having a shape corresponding to the sensor chip holding portion, a plurality of kinds of sensor chips can be placed in one sensor chip holding portion. At the same time, since a detection portion of a mode corresponding to each of the inspection means is attached to the cartridge, a plurality of inspections can be carried out, although there is only one sensor chip holding portion.  
      Since each of the sensor chips has a marker portion of a different mode with each corresponding inspection means, even if a plurality of kinds of sensor chips corresponding respectively to a plurality of inspection means are placed in one sensor chip holding portion, a sensor chip identifying portion can identify which of the inspection means each of the sensor chips corresponds to. Therefore, even if a plurality of kinds of inspection techniques are used by one inspection system, an inspection technique corresponding to a sensor chip placed in the sensor chip holding portion can always be used.  
      Namely, the sensor chip identifying portion identifies which of the inspection means one sensor chip corresponds to by a marker portion formed on that sensor chip. What is needed is only enabling identification as to which of the inspection means that sensor chip corresponds to from only a part of that sensor chip. So, sensor chips can be identified more easily.  
      Moreover, if the marker portion can indicate identification of not only information of the corresponding inspection means but also information of the number of samples, whether the number of specimens is single or plural can also be identified in the same detection technique.  
      As the marker portion, it is possible to simply form different indentations with each kind of sensor chips or an IC which stores information of the corresponding inspection means and the like.  
      (2) In the above second means, since the system comprises a plurality of inspection means and a sensor chip holding portion capable of holding a plurality of kinds of sensor chips corresponding to the plurality of inspection means, a plurality of inspections can be carried out by a single system. Moreover, since each of the sensor chips comprises a cartridge portion having a common shape among the plurality of kinds of sensor chips in order to be held by the sensor chip holding portion, a plurality of inspections can be carried out by placing a plurality of kinds of sensor chips in the same sensor chip holding portion, so a plurality of inspection techniques can be used under roughly the same conditions. Therefore, more reproducible data can be accumulated efficiently. Besides, more precise analysis can be made by using a plurality of kinds of data obtained by the inspections.  
      Here, in the biological information inspection system of the present invention, the inspection means detects biological information from two-dimensional information of the detection portion, and the data reading portion acquires also two-dimensional information of the marker portion in acquiring two-dimensional information of the detection portion. Therefore, which of the inspection means the detection portion of a sensor chip corresponds to can be identified from the obtained two-dimensional information of the marker portion. Accordingly, there is no need to provide separately a mechanism for identifying which of the inspection means a sensor chip placed in the sensor chip holding portion corresponds to (a marker identifying portion), and this contributes to simplification and downsizing of the system. Besides, two-dimensional information of the detection portion and the marker portion can be acquired by the same mechanism, and highly reproducible data can be accumulated efficiently.  
      Furthermore, if image data of the detection portion and the marker portion of each sensor chip are acquired as their two-dimensional information, simple photographing of the detection portion and the marker portion by photographic means achieves easy acquisition of two-dimensional information of the detection portion and the marker portion.  
      Here, when each of the sensor chips has the detection portion and the marker portion arranged side by side on one surface of each of the sensor chips and a line sensor is employed as a data reading portion, two-dimensional information (images) of the detection portion and the marker portion can be acquired easily by making the line sensor scanning one-dimensionally from one end to the other end of each of the sensor chips.  
      Furthermore, the marker portion can be identified more easily by employing a bar code or indentations as a marker portion.  
      It is also possible to detect a particular physical quantity such as quantity of electric charge, light absorbance, and luminescence intensity in the detection portion or the marker portion by scanning the detection portion and the marker portion by using a probe or the like as a data reading portion, and acquire distributional information of the physical quantity in the detection portion and the marker portion as two-dimensional information of the detection portion and the marker portion.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing an example of a biological information inspection system of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart showing an operation of the biological information inspection system of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is an explanatory view showing a method of acquiring two-dimensional information of a detection portion and a marker portion of a sensor chip.  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing another example of a biological information inspection system of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart showing an operation of the biological information inspection system of the present invention.  
      FIGS.  6  are explanatory views of an example of a marker portion of a sensor chip and a scheme of a sensor chip identifying portion.  
       FIG. 7  is a view showing a different example of a marker portion of a sensor chip from that of  FIG. 6 . 
    
    
     BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION  
      Hereinafter, an outline of the biological information inspection system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.  
     First Embodiment  
       FIG. 1  is a view of a biological information inspection system  10  of this embodiment. The biological information inspection system  10  comprises a sensor chip  20  holding a sample of genes or the like, a sensor chip holding portion  11  in which the sensor chip  20  is placed, and a data reading portion  13  for acquiring two-dimensional information of a detection portion  21  and a marker portion  23  of the sensor chip  20 . Here, the data reading portion  13  photographs images of the detection portion  21  and the marker portion  23  as two-dimensional information, and acquires image data as two-dimensional information data. The biological information inspection system  10  comprises a plurality of inspection means so that this system can execute a plurality of kinds of inspections. The plurality of inspection means conduct different inspections for a plurality of kinds of sensor chips  20  to be placed in one sensor chip holding portion  11 . Namely, among the plurality of kinds of sensor chips  20  corresponding respectively to different inspection means, one sensor chip  20  corresponding to an inspection means which an operator desires to use is placed in the sensor chip holding portion  11 .  
      Specifically, each of the sensor chips  20  comprises a detection portion  21  of a mode corresponding to each inspection means, and a cartridge portion  22  having a common shape among the plurality of kinds of sensor chips  20  regardless of the inspection means. Namely, the detection inspection portion  21  has a different mode with each corresponding inspection means, while the cartridge portion  22  has the same shape regardless of different corresponding inspection means. Owing to each of the sensor chips  20  of this mode, one sensor chip holding portion  11  can hold different kinds of sensor chips  20  (sensor chips  20  having different kinds of detection portions  21 ) by determining the shape of the sensor chip holding portion  11  to conform in shape to the cartridge portion  22  of each of the sensor chips  20 .  
      Each of the sensor chips  20  also has a marker portion  23 . This marker portion  23  indicates which of a plurality of inspection means a detection portion  21  formed on that sensor chip  20  corresponds to. In this embodiment, the marker portion  23  is a bar code  23  as shown in  FIG. 3 . A difference in the shape of bar codes allows identification as to which of the inspection means the detection portion  21 , and eventually the sensor chip  20 , corresponds to.  
      On the other hand, the plurality of inspection means shares one data reading portion  13 ; the biological information inspection system  10  has one data reading portion  13 . In this embodiment, the data reading portion  13  is a line sensor  13  as shown in  FIG. 3 . A method of acquiring two-dimensional information (images) of a detection portion  21  and a marker portion  23  of one sensor chip  20  will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the detection portion  21  and a bar code  23 , which is a marker portion  23 , are arranged side by side on one surface of the sensor chip  20 . When the biological information inspection system  10  is put into operation with the sensor chip  20  held by the sensor chip holding portion  11 , the line sensor  13  scans in a direction in which the detection portion  21  and the marker portion  23  are arranged side by side (in the direction of the arrow in  FIG. 3 ). Thereby, the detection portion  21  and the bar code  23  can be photographed by the same mechanism. Then, which of the inspection means the detection portion  21  of the sensor chip  20  corresponds to can be identified from the obtained image of the bar code  23 . Since photographing of the detection portion  21  and that of the marker portion  23  are carried out by the same mechanism as mentioned above, there is no need to provide separately a mechanism for identifying the marker portion  23  of the sensor chip  20  and this contributes to simplification and downsizing of the system.  
      It is to be noted that as the data reading portion  13 , it is possible to employ not only a line sensor  13  which scans on the sensor chip  20  but also a CMOS camera which simply photographs the detection portion  21  and the marker portion  23  of the sensor chip  20  at the same time.  
      The biological information inspection system  10  further comprises a memory (memory means)  15  for storing image data read by the data reading portion  13  as two-dimensional information data, a data calculation unit  16  for converting image data read by the data reading portion  13  or image data stored in the memory  15  into biological information data indicating particular biological information, a display portion  14  for displaying the obtained biological information, and an interface portion  17  for transferring data stored in the memory  15  to other computers (See  FIG. 1 ). Further, the memory  15  stores a plurality of programs for executing a plurality of different algorithms for acquiring particular biological information data based on the image data of the detection portion  21 , and the data calculation unit  16  can execute the plurality of programs.  
      The image data of the detection portion  21  acquired by the data reading portion  13  is stored in the memory  15  together with an identification result of the marker portion  23  (information as to which of the inspection means the detection portion  21  corresponds to). Then biological information is detected from the image data of the detection portion  21 , in accordance with the one of the inspection means corresponding to the detection portion  21 .  
      Hereinafter, an example of use of the biological information inspection system  10  of this embodiment will be described. The biological information inspection system  10  of this embodiment can be used, for example, for diabetes testing and treatment analysis. Of diabetes, type  2  diabetes is a multifactorial disease caused by a combination of genetic factors and environmental factors such-as high-fat diets and lack of exercise. Therefore, it is important in determining risk of developing diabetes to not only check blood glucose level or the like but also carry out inspections, paying attention to genetic factors. Therefore, a plurality of inspection means are necessary to precisely determine risk of developing diabetes. Even when diabetes has already developed, it is important to identify its causal factors and choose a treatment method appropriate for the causes.  
      An example of use of the biological information inspection system  10  of the present invention in diabetes testing and treatment analysis will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . First, a sensor chip  20  having a testing sample placed on a detection portion  21  is placed in the sensor chip holding portion  11  of the biological information inspection system  10  (step  1 ). Upon actuation of the biological information inspection system  10 , the data reading portion  13  starts to photograph images of the detection portion  21  and a marker portion  23  of the sensor chip  20  (step  2 ).  
      Which of the inspection means the detection portion  21  of the sensor chip  20  placed in the sensor chip holding portion  11  corresponds to is identified from an image analysis of the obtained image of the marker portion  23  (step  3 ). Here, examples of the inspection means include blood glucose testing and methods of detecting presence or absence of a particular gene or its abundance from intensity of fluorescence uniquely connected to the aforementioned particular gene. Examples of methods of detecting presence or absence of a particular gene or its abundance include a method of amplifying a particular gene by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or the like and then detecting presence or absence of the particular gene and its abundance by means of fluorescence intensity, and a DNA chip method of detecting expression of genes in a sample by means of positions of fluorescence detected on a chip. The detection portion  21  of each sensor chip  20  has a mode corresponding to each inspection means by having a sample corresponding to one of these inspection means.  
      When which of the inspection means the sensor chip  20  placed corresponds to is identified in step  3 , the image data of the detection portion  21  is once stored in the memory  15  together with information as to which of the inspection means the detection portion  21  corresponds to. Then the image data stored in the memory  15  is processed in accordance with the corresponding inspection means. Description will be made here about a case of employing a blood glucose test (Test A), a genetic factor check test (Test B) and an environmental factor check test (Test C) as a plurality of inspection means. Specifically, when the sensor chip  20  placed is identified as corresponding to Test A in step  3 , the data calculation unit  16  executes a Test A program for executing Test A in step  4 . Specifically, blood is placed as a sample on the detection portion  21  of the sensor chip  20  which corresponds to Test A, and the blood is added with a fluorescent material to attach to glucose. Therefore, probability of glucose being present in the blood is shown by area of a fluorescent-region in the blood. Therefore, in Test A in step  4 , the data calculation unit  16  executes a program for detecting abundance of glucose as biological information from the image data of the detection portion  21 . A result of Test A is stored in the memory  15  of the biological information inspection system  10  as information of its quantative value, risk of diabetes and so on, together with a sample number, which is given to every subject, and information of the inspection means (step  5 ) and displayed on the data display portion  14 .  
      Alternatively, when the sensor chip  20  placed is identified as corresponding to Test B in step  3 , the image data of the detection portion  21  acquired by the data reading portion  13  is processed in accordance with Test B (step  6 ). Chromosomes are held as a sample on the detection portion  21  of the sensor chip  20  corresponding to Test B, and the sample is added with a fluorescent material which emits fluorescence, attached to suspected diabetes susceptibility genes (for instance, calpain-3, PI-3, adiponectin). Biological information can be acquired by extracting information of area of a fluorescent region or the like from image information of the sample by means of image processing in accordance with Test B. The data calculation unit  16  executes a program for detecting presence or absence of diabetes susceptibility genes or abundance of diabetes susceptibility genes as biological information from the image data of the detection portion  21  in this state, thereby detecting biological information. A result of Test B is stored in the memory  15  as information as to presence or absence of the diabetes susceptibility genes, their abundance and the like, together with a sample number and information of the inspection means (step  7 ) and displayed on the data display portion  14 . Furthermore, whether genetic factors are large or small among factors of diabetes can also be determined from the result of Test B, and the determination result can be stored in the memory  15  and displayed on the data display portion  14 .  
      Instead, when the sensor chip  20  placed is identified as corresponding to Test C in step  3 , the image data of the detection portion  21  acquired by the data reading portion  13  is processed in accordance with Test C (step  8 ). Chromosomes are held as a sample on the detection portion  21  of the sensor chip  20  corresponding to Test C, and this sample is added with a fluorescent material which emits fluorescence, attached to suspected obesity genes (for instance, leptin, β 3-adrenaline receptor, SHP). The data calculation unit  16  executes a program for detecting presence or absence of obesity genes, abundance of obesity genes, and the like as biological information from the image data of the detection portion  21  in this state, thereby detecting biological information. A result of Test C is stored in the memory  15  as information as to presence or absence of the obesity genes, their abundance and the like together with a sample number and information of the inspection means (step  9 ), and displayed on the data display portion  14 . Moreover, whether environmental factors are large or small among factors of diabetes can also be determined from the result of Test C and the determination result can be stored in the memory  15  and displayed on the data display portion  14 .  
      When one of the inspections has been thus carried out, whether inspections by other inspection means are conducted or not is determined in step  10 . When a plurality of inspections are determined to be conducted in this step, a multifactorial analysis based on a plurality of inspection results is carried out in step  11 . As a result, a more suitable treatment method can be found out in each case.  
      Specifically, when Test A, Test B and Test C are all completed and Test A determines that the subject has diabetes (or is prone to have diabetes), Test B determines that influence of genetic factors is large, and Test C determines that influence of environmental factors is also large, a treatment method for reducing influence of environmental factors by diet therapy and exercise therapy and so on and at the same time reducing influence of genetic factors by gene therapy is suggested. In this case, the method to be suggested as gene therapy is determined in accordance with the kind of genes extracted by Test B. When expression of diabetes susceptibility genes is detected by the test, a treatment is suggested based on their expression. For example, when the test finds out that expression of the adiponectin gene, which is an insulin sensitizing agent, is small, a method of supplying insulin while conducting adiponectin replacement therapy as a gene therapy can be employed.  
      Alternatively, when Test A diagnoses that the subject has diabetes (or is prone to have diabetes) and Test B shows that there is influence of genetic factors but Test C shows that there is little influence of environmental factors, a more efficient treatment method for reducing only influence of genetic factors (a treatment method emphasizing gene therapy rather than diet therapy and exercise therapy) can be suggested. In contrast, when Test A diagnoses that the subject has diabetes (or is prone to have diabetes) and Test B shows that there is little influence of genetic factors but Test C shows that there is influence of environmental factors, a treatment method for reducing only environmental factors (for example, a treatment method comprising mainly diet therapy and exercise therapy and placing little emphasis on gene therapy) can be suggested.  
      When Test A does not diagnose that the subject has diabetes but Test B and/or Test C indicates that there are genetic factors and/or environmental factors, a preventive measure is suggested based on these test results.  
      In a multifactorial analysis, it is possible to not only conduct an analysis based on information of a plurality of inspections with the same sample number, but also conduct the same inspection on, for instance, relatives of a patient and store the inspection results in the memory  15  together with the relation to the patient and make an affected sib pair analysis from the relation between these pieces of information.  
      The analysis results as above are displayed on the data display portion  14  of the biological information inspection system  10  ( FIG. 1 ) to provide an operator with information of a treatment method in step  12 .  
      Reproducibility on the same detecting device is demanded in order to provide a series of standards of care to specify causes of a disease and select a treatment plan in this way. Here, the biological information inspection system  10  of this embodiment can obtain more stably reproducible data, because one sensor chip holding portion  11  can hold even different sensor chips  20  corresponding to different inspection means and one data reading portion  13  can acquire information (two-dimensional information) of a sample placed on the detecting portion  21  of each sensor chip  20 .  
      Further, since information of the detection portion  21  and information of the marker portion  23  of each sensor chip  20  can be acquired by the same mechanism (a line sensor  13 ) as two-dimensional information, there is no need to separately provide the system with a mechanism for identifying which of the inspection means a sensor chip  20  placed in the sensor chip holding portion  11  corresponds to, and accordingly simplification and downsizing of the system can be achieved.  
      In addition, information stored in the memory  15  (memory means) of the biological information inspection system  10  can also be stored in other memory means such as a hard disk drive or an external storage unit of a personal computer through the interface portion  17 .  
     Second Embodiment  
       FIG. 4  is a view of a biological information inspection system  100  of this embodiment. The biological information inspection system  100  shown in  FIG. 4  has basically the same construction as that of the biological information inspection system  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . It is to be noted that in  FIG. 4 , the same numerals designate similar components to those of the biological information inspection system shown in  FIG. 1 . The biological information inspection system  100  comprises a sensor chip holding portion  110  in which a sensor chip  200  holding a sample of genes or the like is placed, a data reading portion  130  for reading biological information from the sensor chip  200 , and a sensor chip identifying portion  120  for identifying the kind of the sensor chip placed in the sensor chip holding portion  110 . The biological information inspection system  100  has a plurality of inspection means so that the system can carry out a plurality of kinds of inspections. The plurality of inspection means conduct different inspections for a plurality of different sensor chips  200  placed in one sensor chip holding portion  11 Q. Therefore, the plurality of kinds of sensor chips  200  corresponding respectively to different inspection means are to be placed in the sensor chip holding portion  110 .  
      Specifically, each of the sensor chips  200  comprises a detection portion  210  of a mode corresponding to each inspection means, and a cartridge portion  220  of a uniform mode regardless of the inspections means. Owing to each of the sensor chips  200  of this shape, one sensor chip holding portion  110  can hold different kinds of sensor chips  200  by determining the shape of the sensor chip holding portion  110  of the biological information inspection system  100  to conform in shape to the cartridge portion  220  of each of the sensor chips  200 .  
      Each of the sensor chips  200  also has a marker portion  230  indicating which kind of inspection means the detection portion  210  corresponds to. On the other hand, the biological information inspection system  100  has a marker identifying portion  120  as a sensor chip identifying portion. When a marker portion  230  of one sensor chip  200  is placed on the marker identifying portion  120  of the biological information inspection system, the marker identifying portion  120  specifies the kind of that sensor chip  200 .  
      The biological information inspection system  100  of this embodiment further comprises a control means, not shown, for operating the inspection means corresponding to the identification result of the marker identifying portion  120 . An example of the control means is those similar to the memory  15  and the data calculation unit  16  of the biological information inspection system  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . When the marker identifying portion  120  identifies the kind of that sensor chip  200 , the control means starts a program for operating a corresponding one of the inspection means among a plurality of inspection means provided to the biological information inspection system  100 .  
      The biological information inspection system  100  further comprises a memory means for storing data read by the data reading portion  130 , an analysis means for making a multifactorial analysis of biological information based on the stored data, a display portion  14  for displaying an analysis result, and an interface portion  17  for transferring data stored in the memory means to other computers.  
      Results of inspections conducted by the inspection means are read by the data reading portion  130  and stored in the memory means. At this time, a plurality of inspections are conducted on one specimen and inspection results are stored in the memory means in connection with a sample number given to the specimen and the kind of the inspection means. Then, when an inspection by one inspection means is completed or there is an input of, for instance, a sample number of a specimen into the system from an input means, a plurality of inspection results obtained by a plurality of inspection means are read by the analysis means and a multifactorial analysis is made based on the plurality of inspection results. A result of the multifactorial analysis is displayed on the display portion  14 .  
      Here, those shown in  FIG. 6  can be employed as the marker portion  230  of each of the sensor chips and the marker identifying portion  120  of the biological information inspection system  100 . FIGS.  6  illustrate states of placing one sensor chip  200  in the sensor chip holding portion  110 , and are side views of the sensor chip  200 . Here is shown an example of a mode of inserting the sensor chip  200  into the sensor chip holding portion  110  formed as an opening in the biological information inspection system  100  so as to have the sensor chip  200  held by the sensor chip holding portion  110 . As shown in  FIG. 6 ( a ), a notch  24  is formed in a unique shape to one inspection means corresponding to that sensor chip  200  on one end side of the sensor chip  200  to be inserted into the sensor chip holding portion  110 . On the other hand, a plurality of notch sensors  19  are arranged on a side of the sensor chip holding portion  110  in a manner to contact an end surface  20   a  of the sensor chip  200  to be inserted. Each of the notch sensors  19  can move between a first position used when a sensor chip  200  is not inserted in the sensor chip holding portion  110 , and a second position to be moved into by a push of the end surface  20   a  of a sensor chip  200  when the sensor chip  200  is inserted into the sensor chip holding portion  110 . Here, in the following description, it is assumed that when each of the notch sensors  19  lies at the first position, each of the notch sensors  19  is in off state, and when each of the notch sensors  19  lies at the second portion, each of the notch sensors  19  is in on state.  
      As shown in  FIG. 6 , when one sensor chip  200  having a notch  24  on its end surface  20   a  is inserted into the sensor chip holding portion  110 , the notch sensors  19 , which are pushed by the end surface  20   a  are moved into the second position and set in on state. On the other hand, since one notch sensor  19  corresponding to the position of the notch  24  is not pushed by the end surface  20   a,  this notch sensor  19  remains at the first position and is kept in off state. Here, when one sensor chip  200  is inserted into the sensor chip holding portion  110 , the on/off states of the plurality of notch sensors are changed in accordance with the corresponding inspection means by changing the position and shape of a notch  24  to be formed on the end surface  20   a  of the sensor chip  200 . Thus identification of the corresponding inspection means can be achieved.  
      Owing to the above construction, when one sensor chip  200  is inserted into the sensor chip holding portion  110 , a target inspection means can be selected automatically.  
      The marker portion  230  of the sensor chip  200  can also employ a configuration shown in  FIG. 7 . Namely, as shown in  FIG. 7 , it is possible to employ an IC  25  as the marker portion  230  of the sensor chip  200  and a reader device capable of reading information stored in this IC as the marker identifying portion  120 .  
      Hereinafter, an example of use of the biological information inspection system  100  of this embodiment will be described. The biological information inspection system  100  of this embodiment can be used, for example, for diabetes testing and treatment analysis.  
      An example of use of the biological information inspection system  100  of the present invention for diabetes testing and treatment analysis will be described with reference to  FIG. 5 . First, in step  101 , one sensor chip  200  having a sample such as nucleic acid protein placed on a detection portion  210  is placed in the sensor chip holding portion  110  of the biological information inspection system  100 . In step  102 , the marker identifying portion  120  identifies which of the inspection means the sensor chip  200  placed in the sensor chip holding portion  110  corresponds to. Here, examples of the inspection means include blood glucose testing, and the southern hybridization, SNPs, Dot Blot, and PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) for inspecting genetic factors. A sample corresponding to one of these inspection means is placed on a detection portion  210  of each of the sensor chips  200  in a mode corresponding to each inspection method.  
      When which of the inspection means the sensor chip  200  placed corresponds to is identified in step  102 , inspection is carried out by the corresponding inspection means. Description will be made here about a case of employing a blood glucose test (Test A), a genetic factor check test (Test B) and an environmental factor check test (Test C) as a plurality of inspection means. When the sensor chip  200  placed is identified as corresponding to Test A in step  102 , Test A is carried out in step  103 . Specifically, Test A is carried out by sampling blood and measuring the glucose concentration. A result of Test A is stored in the memory means of the biological information inspection system  100  as information of its quantitative value, diabetes risk and the like, together with a sample number, which is given to every subject, and information of the inspection means (step  104 ).  
      Alternatively, when the sensor chip  200  placed is identified as corresponding to Test B in step  102 , Test B is carried out in step  105 . Specifically, Test B is carried out by an electrophoresis unit as an inspection means provided to the biological information inspection system  100 . This Test B can detect presence or absence of diabetes susceptibility genes. It is to be noted that Test B can also detect expression of diabetes susceptibility genes. Similarly to step  104 , a result of Test B is stored in the memory means together with a sample number and information of the inspection means (step  106 ).  
      Instead, when the sensor chip  200  placed is identified as corresponding to Test C in step  102 , Test C is carried out in step  107 . Specifically, Test C can be carried out by a RNA expression analyzer provided to the biological information inspection system  100 . This Test C can detect obesity genes and measure their expression and deviations from standard values. Similarly to step  104  or  106 , a result of Test C is stored in the memory means of the biological information inspection system  100  together with a sample number and information of the inspection means (step  108 ).  
      When one of the inspections has been thus carried out, whether other inspections are conducted or not is determined in step  109 . When a plurality of inspections are determined to be conducted in this step, a multifactorial analysis based on a plurality of inspection results is made in step  110 . As a result, a more suitable treatment method can be found out in each case in the same way as in the first embodiment.  
      Reproducibility on the same detecting device is demanded in order to provide a series of standards of care to specify causes of a disease and select a treatment plan in this way. Here, the biological information inspection system  100  of this embodiment can obtain more stably reproducible data, because one sensor chip holding portion  110  can hold even a plurality of kinds of sensor chips  200  corresponding to different inspection means and one data reading portion  130  can conduct inspection for a sample placed on a detecting portion  210  of each of the sensor chips  200 .  
      In addition, information stored in the memory means of the biological information inspection system  100  can also be stored in other memory means through the interface portion  17 .