Sample processing device for pretreatment and thermal cycling

1. A sample processing device, comprising:

an opening to receive at least one sample vessel;

a sample pretreatment unit positioned along the opening and comprising at least one of a compression member, a stationary member, and an energy transfer element, the sample pretreatment unit capable of extracting nucleic acids from the sample and transferring the extracted nucleic acid to the thermal cycling unit without opening the sample vessel;

a thermal cycling reaction unit positioned along the opening and capable of amplifying the extracted nucleic acid, the thermal cycling reaction unit having at least one driver, a first processing station defining a first temperature zone, and a second processing station defining a second temperature zone;

a control system controlling the thermal cycling reaction unit and programmed to actuate the at least one driver to perform thermal cycling by repeatedly transferring contents of the sample vessel back and forth between the first processing station and the second processing station; and

a detection unit capable of detecting a signal from the amplified nucleic acid without opening the sample vessel.

2. The sample processing device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first processing station includes a first compression member coupled to the at least one driver and adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening and a first energy transfer element for transferring energy to or from vessel contents at the first processing station, and

the second processing station includes a second compression member coupled to the at least one driver and adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening and a second energy transfer element for transferring energy to or from vessel contents at the second processing station,

wherein compression of the sample vessel by of one of the compression members displaces a substance within the sample vessel between the processing stations.

3. The sample processing device of claim 1 , wherein the sample pretreatment unit comprises at least a processing station including a compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening.

4. The sample processing device of claim 3 , wherein the processing station of the sample pretreatment unit includes a stationary member opposing the compression member across the opening of the sample vessel, wherein the compression member compresses the sample vessel against the stationary member within the opening.

5. The sample processing device of claim 1 , wherein the sample pretreatment unit comprises at least a processing station including an energy transfer element for transferring energy to or from vessel contents at the processing station.

6. The sample processing device of claim 1 , wherein the sample pretreatment unit is proximal to the opening and the thermal cycling reaction unit is distal to the sample pretreatment unit.

7. The sample processing device of claim 1 , further comprising the sample vessel, wherein the sample vessel comprises an opening to receive at least one sample and a plurality of segments, each segment separated and fluidically isolated at least in part from an adjacent segment by a pressure gate, and at least one segment containing a reagent.

8. The sample processing device of claim 7 , wherein the sample vessel comprises at least two segments, the first segment containing a nucleic acid extraction reagent and the second segment containing a PCR reagent.

9. The sample processing device of claim 1 , wherein the sample pretreatment unit extracts nucleic acid by using at least one of a cell lysis reagent, boiling the sample, GITC (Guanidinium isothiocyanate), formamide solubilization, or filters to separate nucleic acid from unwanted cellular debris.

10. The sample processing device of claim 3 , wherein the sample pretreatment unit transfers the extracted nucleic acid to the thermal cycling unit without opening the sample vessel by compressing the sample vessel using its compression member to displace the extracted nucleic acid within the sample vessel to the thermal cycling unit.

11. A method of processing a sample, comprising:

adding a sample to a sample vessel comprising an opening to receive at least one sample and a plurality of segments, each segment separated and fluidically isolated at least in part from an adjacent segment by a pressure gate, and at least one segment containing a reagent;

introducing the sample vessel into the sample processing device of claim 1 ;

extracting a nucleic acid from the a sample using the sample pretreatment unit;

transferring the extracted nucleic acid from the sample pretreatment unit to the thermal cycling reaction unit without opening the sample vessel;

amplifying the extracted nucleic acid in the thermal cycling reaction unit by alternately transferring contents of the sample vessel between the at least first processing station and second processing station; and

detecting a signal from the amplified nucleic acid without opening the sample vessel.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sample pretreatment unit comprises at least a processing station including a compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening; and transferring comprises compressing the sample vessel using the compression member to displace the extracted nucleic acid within the sample vessel to the thermal cycling unit.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sample pretreatment unit comprises at least a processing station including an energy transfer element; and the method further comprises transferring energy to or from vessel contents at the processing station.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising heating the sample in the first processing station to a first temperature.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising heating the sample in the second processing station to a second temperature.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first temperature is effective to denature nucleic acid in the sample and the second temperature is one at which nucleic acid annealing and nucleic acid synthesis can occur.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first processing station includes a first compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening, and the second processing station includes a second compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening; and the method comprises alternately compressing the sample vessel using one of the compression members to displace a substance within the sample vessel between the processing stations.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the detection unit monitors the signal in real time.

19. The sample processing device of claim 7 , wherein the pressure gate is formed by a bonding of opposing wall portions of the sample vessel to one another, and wherein the pressure gate is opened by application of fluid pressure on a segment that is fluidly isolated in part by a pressure gate.

20. The sample processing device of claim 1 , wherein the first processing station comprises a first energy transfer element producing thermal energy in the first temperature zone, the second processing station comprises a second energy transfer element producing thermal energy in the second temperature zone, and the device further comprises a thermal controller controlling the first energy transfer element and the second energy transfer element and programmed to cause the first energy transfer element to adopt a first temperature and to cause the second energy transfer element to adopt a second temperature different from the first temperature.

21. The sample processing device of claim 7 , wherein the first temperature is effective to denature nucleic acid in the sample and the second temperature is one at which nucleic acid annealing and nucleic acid synthesis can occur.