Modular point-of-care devices, systems, and uses thereof

1. A method of detecting at least two analytes of different analyte types from a small-volume biological sample within a short period of time, said method comprising:

Placing a cartridge in a reader assembly, said cartridge comprising a plurality of movable assay units, a plurality of movable reagent units, and a sample collection unit containing a small-volume biological sample, wherein at least one of said assay units and at least one of said reagent units are movable relative to each other, wherein individual movable reagent units are calibrated with reference to corresponding movable assay units before the movable reagent units are assembled on the cartridge, and wherein said reader assembly comprises a) a fluid transfer device, and b) a detection assembly configured to detect signals indicative of the presence of, or absence of, analytes of at least two different analyte types;

Transferring a first portion of said biological sample to a first movable assay unit, and transferring a second portion of said biological sample to a second movable assay unit, effective to divide said biological sample into at least a first portion and a second portion at an initial time;

Detecting a signal indicative of the presence of, or absence of, a first analyte of a first analyte type in said first portion of the biological sample in the first movable assay unit by a first time; and

Detecting a signal indicative of the presence of, or absence of, a second analyte of a second analyte type in said second portion of the biological sample in the second movable assay unit by a second time;

Wherein the period of time between said initial time and the later of said first time and of said second time comprises a short period of time;

Whereby analytes of at least two different analyte types are detected from a small-volume biological sample within a short period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said different analyte types comprise analyte types selected from protein analytes, nucleic acid analytes, organic analytes, and inorganic analytes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein following said transferring, said first portion of said biological sample is contained within said first movable assay unit and is fluidically isolated from said second portion, and said second portion of said biological sample is contained within said second movable assay unit and is fluidically isolated from said first portion.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said reader assembly comprises one or more of a system selected from the group consisting of: a point of care system for detecting analytes in a biological sample; a portable system for detecting analytes in a biological sample; a desk-top system for detecting analytes in a biological sample; and a bench-top system for detecting analytes in a biological sample.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said short period of time comprises a period of time selected from the group of time periods consisting of: a period of time of no more than one hour; a period of time of less than 30 minutes; a period of time of less than 15 minutes; a period of time of less than 10 minutes; and a period of time of less than 5 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mixing at least one biological sample portion with a reagent effective to run a chemical reaction within a movable assay unit, wherein said reagent is obtained from a movable reagent unit calibrated with reference to said movable assay unit.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the volume of said small-volume biological sample comprises a volume selected from the group of volumes consisting of: less than about 500 μL; about 1 μL to 100 μL; about 1 μL to 50 μL; about 1 μL to 40 μL; about 1 μL to 30 μL; about 1 μL to 10 μL; and about 1 μL to 3 μL.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detection assembly comprises an optical detector, and detecting a signal indicative of the presence of, or absence of, an analyte comprises optical detection.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said biological sample is selected from the group consisting of blood, serum, plasma, saliva, urine, tears, gastric fluid, digestive fluid, bone marrow, cerebrospinal fluid, stool, semen, vaginal fluid, and liquid extracted from tissue.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or both of said transferring and said detecting are performed according to a protocol.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said protocol may be altered by communication with a device or system.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the order of detecting said first analyte and said second analyte may be altered by communication with another device or system.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting comprises the use of a nucleic acid probe, an antibody, or both.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cartridge comprises a calibration unit.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mixing a portion of said biological sample with a reagent, with a diluent, or with a reagent and a diluent, wherein said transferring, said mixing, or both said transferring and mixing comprises mechanical aspiration.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first movable assay unit and said second movable assay unit are movable within said cartridge.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving said first movable assay unit or said second movable assay unit to a position near to said detection assembly.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting comprises transporting least a portion of said biological sample to a position near to said detection assembly, wherein said fluid transfer device comprises a pipette assembly, wherein said transporting comprises transport of said portion of said biological sample by said pipette assembly.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said pipette assembly comprises an air-displacement pipette.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said pipette assembly comprises a pipette head comprising a nozzle, wherein said nozzle is configured to engage a pipette tip.

21. The method of claim 1 , further comprising diluting the biological sample in said movable assay units effective to bring signals indicative of at least two analytes in said biological sample within a detectable range, effective that said signals indicative of at least two analytes are detectable by said detection assembly.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detection assembly comprises a plurality of detectors, and detecting comprises use of a plurality of detectors.

23. The method of claim 8 , wherein said optical detection comprises detecting a signal indicative of the presence of, or absence of, an analyte using a photodiode, an avalanche photodiode, a photomultiplier (PMT), a photon counting detector, a charge-coupled device, or a pin diode.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of said reader assembly, said fluid transfer device, and said detection assembly is configured to operate according to a protocol.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein said protocol is configured to be adjustable without requiring modification of the reader assembly, the fluid transfer device, or of the detection assembly.

26. The method of claim 1 , further comprising one or both of transmitting information and receiving information, wherein said reader assembly comprises a communication assembly configured to transmit information, to receive information, or both.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein said transferring comprises transferring movable assay units, movable reagent units, and sample effective that a reagent for running a chemical reaction is brought into contact with at least a portion of the biological sample in a movable assay unit.

28. The method of claim 1 , further comprising separation, dilution, lysing, processing, or retrieving of a portion of said biological sample by means of a pretreatment unit configured to separate, dilute, lyse, process, or retrieve a portion of said biological sample, or combinations thereof.