Patent ID: 7333896

Claim:
A method of determining whether mass spectral data from a test serum is acceptable for analysis in a bioassay using biochips, comprising: selecting a diverse group of sera, the diverse group of sera having different characteristics; obtaining information associated with a mass spectrum of each of the sera from the diverse group of sera using each of a plurality of control biochips; generating a control model based at least in part on the spectra obtained from the diverse group of sera, the control model including at least one centroid located in an n-dimensional space defined by n mass spectral features included in the control model; performing mass spectrometry on a test serum applied to a test biochip to obtain a test spectrum associated with the test serum; mapping the test spectrum to the n-dimensional space; and certifying that the test spectrum is acceptable for analysis in the bioassay if it is determined that the test spectrum maps to the n-dimensional space within an acceptable distance from said at least one centroid in the control model.