EP-4741056-A1 - METHOD FOR PROCESSING A BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE AND DEVICE THEREFOR

EP4741056A1EP 4741056 A1EP4741056 A1EP 4741056A1EP-4741056-A1

Abstract

A first aspect of the present disclosure is related to a method for processing a biological sample with an automated laboratory system, comprising the steps: - loading a primary tube containing a primary biological sample comprising a pre-defined agent, e.g. Platelets; - performing a centrifugation of the primary biological sample; - transferring at least a part of the primary biological sample as a secondary biological sample into a secondary tube ; - performing a centrifugation of the secondary biological sample ; - providing a sample based on the centrifuged secondary biological sample.

Inventors

NAETZER, Beate
MAEL, ERIC
BENEGAL, Aditya

Assignees

Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20241106

Claims (15)

A method for processing a biological sample with an automated laboratory system, comprising the steps: - loading a primary tube containing a primary biological sample comprising a pre-defined agent, e.g. Platelets; - performing a centrifugation (140) of the primary biological sample; - transferring (150, 160) at least a part of the primary biological sample as a secondary biological sample into a secondary tube (140); - performing a centrifugation of the secondary biological sample (152, 162); - providing a sample (150) based on the centrifuged secondary biological sample.
The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the primary and/or the secondary biological sample comprises one or more of: - plasma, - serum, - spinal fluid, - urine, - stool suspension, or - saliva.
The method according to the preceding claim, comprising the step: - receiving a selection information (120) of a user and/or from the primary tube related to the processing of the primary tube and/or the primary biological sample in the primary tube.
The method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the step: - receiving information related to the transferring of the primary biological sample into the secondary tube, in particular related to a volume.
The method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the step: - receiving information related to a test, e.g. A coagulation test, of the biological sample within the primary and/or secondary tube.
The method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the step: - receiving an information (142) related to: -- analyzing the secondary biological sample (154); and/or -- providing a third sample (164) of the secondary biological sample.
The method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the step: - after the second centrifugation, analyzing the secondary biological sample (154) of the secondary tube; and in particular the step: - screw-capping the secondary tube after the analysis.
The method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the step: - transferring at least a part of the secondary biological sample (164) as a third sample into a third tube.
The method according to the preceding claim, comprising the step: - screw-capping the third tube.
The method according to one of the two preceding claims, comprising the step: - transferring the third tube to a pre-defined destination (166).
The method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the step: - receiving information (110) if a biological sample requires a double centrifugation.
The method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the step: - receiving information (120) if a biological sample requires a second centrifugation in a different tube.
The method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the step: - obtaining an information that an aliquoting means is available or not available for transferring a biological sample from one tube into another tube.
The method according to one of the preceding claims, if an aliquoting means is not available for transferring a biological sample from one tube to another tube, comprising one or more of the steps: - storing the tube; - waiting a pre-defined time before a check is performed if the aliquoter is available again; - indicating the tube for manual processing; - providing the tube to a sendout region.
Automated laboratory system for processing a biological sample, configured to: - load a first tube containing a first biological sample with an agent; - perform a centrifugation (140) of the first tube; - transfer (150, 160) at least a part of the first biological sample as a second biological sample into a second tube (140); - perform a centrifugation of the second biological sample (152, 162) in the second tube; - prepare a sample based on the second biological sample, for further aliquoting, analyzing, storing, and/or for sending-out.

Description

Technical field This disclosure relates to methods for processing a biological sample with an automated laboratory system and to automated laboratory systems. Background In a laboratory, centrifugation is used to separate all kinds of biological samples from one or more agents. The presence of the latter can spoil an analysis of a biological sample. The general workflow involves preparing tubes that contain the samples, loading them into a centrifuge, and setting the appropriate speed and time. The centrifuge then spins the samples, causing separation of at least a part of the agents. After the centrifugation, the samples are carefully removed, and a supernatant is collected for further analysis. Internal experiences with this workflow show that a biological sample may still be contaminated. Improvements are therefore desired. Summary An object of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to improve an automated analysis of biological samples. This object is solved by the disclosed embodiments, which are defined in particular by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims provide information for further embodiments. Various aspects and embodiments of these aspects are also disclosed in the summary and description below, which provide additional features and advantages. A first aspect of the present disclosure is related to a method for processing a biological sample with an automated laboratory system, comprising the steps: loading a primary tube containing a primary biological sample comprising a pre-defined agent, e.g. Platelets;performing a centrifugation of the primary biological sample;transferring at least a part of the primary biological sample as a secondary biological sample into a secondary tube ;performing a centrifugation of the secondary biological sample ;providing a sample based on the centrifuged secondary biological sample. A primary tube can be any tube or container in which a liquid sample can be stored or kept. It can be a sample which may have been aliquoted from a prior tube and/or from any other container. Therefore, a primary sample may only be termed "primary" in the context of a method according to the first aspect. A primary biological sample can comprise whole blood or other body liquids and/or may be a sample taken after some preliminary handling and/or after a first processing had been carried out. A biological sample may be any liquid that can be polluted with an agent. An agent can be any material in a biological sample, either a natural material, such a platelets, or artificially material. An agent may refer to any substance, organism, or factor that can contaminate a biological sample. An agent can comprise a biological agent, e.g. Comprising microorganisms, cells, proteins, and/or nucleic acids. Additionally or alternatively, an agent can comprise a chemical agent, e.g. Comprising metabolites, toxins and/or drugs. Additionally or alternatively, an agent can comprise a physical agent, e.g. Nanoparticles and/or tracer elements. Additionally or alternatively, an agent can comprise an environmental agent, e.g. Pollutants and/or allergens. Additionally or alternatively, an agent can comprise a synthetic agent e.g. A diagnostic probe and/or one or more reagents. The primary biological sample is centrifugated, in particular in the primary tube. Thereby, one or more agents in the sample may gather at a certain part of the tube. For example, if the agent is or comprises platelets, the platelets can gather at the bottom of the tube when centrifuged. Afterwards, at least a part of the primary biological sample is transferred or aliquoted as a secondary biological sample. The transferring is performed into the secondary tube. The secondary tube can be of the same type as the primary tube. Alternatively, the secondary tube can be of a different type. For example, the secondary tube can be of a smaller type, if only a part of the primary biological sample is aliquoted into the secondary tube. In a specific embodiment a plurality of secondary tubes can be filled with a biological sample from a centrifuged primary tube. This can be in particular the case if different tests should be applied on the centrifuged biological sample of the primary tube. Each test can be applied to a separate secondary biological sample. Additionally or alternatively, this can be the case if the biological sample of a primary tube should be centrifuged at different locations or by different methods, e.g. By different machines, in particular with different parameters for each second centrifugation. A secondary biological sample can be centrifuged in the secondary tube. Additionally or alternatively, the secondary biological sample can be centrifuged in a different tube or container. The second centrifugation can be of the same type as the first centrifugation and/or configured in the same way as a first centrifugation. In particular the second centrifugation can be of the same duration a