Patent Application
20170253906
The present invention generally relates to a laboratory tool for microbiology work. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method to produce pure single cell microbial colonies for further analysis.
Growth of single cell pure colonies of a microorganism on culture media is very important for further analysis of microorganisms, in research laboratories as well as pharmaceutical and clinical laboratories. Presently obtaining a single cell pure colony of microorganism on culture media is very tedious and requires a well trained skilled microbiology technician to perform this activity. In case of samples containing multiple microorganisms e.g. samples from urinary tract infections, it becomes even more difficult to obtain well separated pure single cell microbial colonies and requirement of trained and skilled microbiologist becomes indispensible.
Presently streak plate method or spread plate method is used to grow single cell pure microbial colonies. In these methods a diluted sample is streaked or spread on a petri-dish containing culture media with the help of a sterilized inoculation loop or spreader. The drawbacks being requirement of a well trained and skilled microbiology technician to perform these activities and increased chances of contamination and failure in obtaining well separated single cell colonies. This problem gets aggravated in cases of samples containing multiple microorganisms.
Trained and skilled microbiology technicians are not easily available and generally are in high demand; particularly in larger hospitals and clinical laboratories where a large number of samples are required to be cultured and analyzed daily. Chances of cross contamination of samples also increase if the same technician handles all or most of the samples.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved method and apparatus to generate pure single cell microbial colonies that are well separated and easy to count without the use of cumbersome process and involvement of a highly skilled technician.
The invention discloses a novel disposable colony spotting chamber for culturing of pure single cell microbial colonies in petri dish containing culture media, for further analysis and a method for obtaining pure single cell microbial colonies by using this colony spotting chamber. This invention reduces dependency on skilled microbiology technicians and enables easy handling of large number of samples in research laboratories, hospitals and clinical laboratories. This invention also helps in prevention of cross contamination of microbial cultures.
One embodiment of the invention discloses a method for generating pure single cell microbial colonies by using colony spotting chamber. The method includes steps of obtaining a clinical sample in a sterile sample container, extraction of microtitre of the clinical sample by micropipette and putting it in a sterile colony spotting chamber through sample filling orifice. The colony spotting chamber is then flipped, pressed and sample is released by pushing the sample release button, on a petri dish containing suitable culture media. The petri dish is then incubated at desired temperature for desired time period to allow microbial colonies to grow.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a disposable sterile colony spotting chamber for generating pure single cell microbial colonies. The colony spotting chamber includes multiple microfluidics chambers of equal sizes. These microfluidics chambers are interconnected to each other through microfabricated channels.
In a further embodiment of the invention colony spotting chamber includes a sample filling orifice through which the clinical sample containing the microorganism is fed to the colony spotting chamber. Clinical sample fed through sample filling orifice directly riches to microfabricated channels. The microfabricated channels are interconnect with microfluidics chambers and through these channels equal amount of sample reaches to each microfluidics chamber.
In another embodiment of invention each microfluidics chamber has a channel gate which remains closed to hold the sample in microfluidics chamber. Clinical sample is released from microfluidics chambers to petri dish by opening of these channel gates.
In a further embodiment of the invention the colony spotting chamber includes a sample release button which is connected internally to open the channel gates of the microfluidics chambers. The sample release button triggers complete release of the sample from the microfluidics chambers to a petri dish containing microbial growth media.
In another embodiment of the invention colony spotting chamber contains tow holding sides. These tow holding sides help in holding and manipulation of colony spotting chamber (100).
Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. These embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings.
The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
It is to be noted that the drawings presented are intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are, therefore, neither desired nor intended to limit the disclosure to any or all of the exact details of construction shown, except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the claimed invention.
Several embodiments for a novel colony spotting chamber (100) are described. Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.
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The foregoing description and drawings comprise illustrative embodiments of the present invention. Having thus described exemplary embodiments, it should be noted by those ordinarily skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only, and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention. Merely listing or numbering the steps of a method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of that method. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one ordinarily skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Moreover, the present invention has been described in detail; it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein, but is limited only by the following claims
