Automated immunoanalyzer system for performing diagnostic assays for allergies and autoimmune diseases

1. A quantitative method for performing an automated diagnostic assay, comprising:

dispensing a quantity of streptavidin-conjugated universal fluorescent-labeled magnetic microparticles into a reaction cuvette within a reaction rotor of an immunoanalyzer instrument using a first pipettor;

measuring a first fluorescent signal associated with the quantity of streptavidin-conjugated universal fluorescent-labeled magnetic microparticles through an optics pipette;

selecting a capture reagent suitable for performing the diagnostic assay;

dispensing the capture reagent into the reaction cuvette using the first pipettor;

incubating the capture reagent with the quantity of streptavidin-conjugated universal fluorescent-labeled magnetic microparticles to form a solid phase complex in the reaction cuvette;

washing the solid phase complex to remove excess capture reagent;

dispensing a serum sample into the reaction cuvette using a second pipettor;

incubating the solid phase complex with the serum sample to form an immune complex;

washing the immune complex to remove any unbound sample;

dispensing a conjugate into the reaction cuvette using a third pipettor;

incubating the immune complex with the conjugate to form an immune-conjugate complex;

washing the immune-conjugate complex to remove any unbound conjugate;

introducing a substrate capable of generating a quantifiable response using the third pipettor;

transferring the substrate and immune-conjugate complex from the reaction rotor to an optics box using the optics pipette by aspirating the substrate and immune-conjugate complex from the reaction cuvette into the optics pipette;

measuring a second fluorescent signal associated with the transferred material through the optics pipette and calculating a ratio of the first fluorescent signal to the second fluorescent signal to obtain a bead retention ratio;

measuring a chemiluminescent signal in the transferred material;

determining the response generated from introducing the substrate; and

adjusting the quantifiable response for bead retention by: adjusting the quantified chemiluminescent signal by the bead retention ratio to calculate a reported value;

wherein one or more of the washing steps include washing the solid phase, immune, and/or immune-conjugate complexes by magnetically sequestering the solid phase, immune, and/or immune-conjugate complexes being washed within a confined area of a reaction cuvette; wherein the step of incubating the capture reagent with the streptavidin-conjugated universal fluorescent-labeled magnetic microparticles comprises incubating the streptavidin-conjugated universal fluorescent-labeled magnetic microparticles with a biotinylated capture reagent; wherein the step of incubating the capture reagent with the streptavidin-conjugated universal fluorescent-labeled magnetic microparticles includes incubating the capture reagent that is retained in a suspension by a reagent diluent comprising about 25% human serum albumin (HSA); wherein the step incubating the immune complex with a conjugate comprises incubating the immune complex that is retained in a suspension by a conjugate diluent comprising about 2-5% polyethylene glycol; and wherein horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is used as an indirect label when washing the immune complex to remove unbound sample.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of incubating the solid phase complex with the serum sample comprises binding an allergen-specific human immunoglobulin E (IgE) present in the serum sample to a biotinylated capture reagent.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of incubating the solid phase complex with the serum sample comprises binding an autoimmune-specific human immunoglobulin G (IgG), an autoimmune-specific human immunoglobulin M (IgM) or an autoimmune-specific human immunoglobulin A (IgA) present in the serum sample to a biotinylated capture reagent.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capture reagent is derived from the biotinylation of a purified allergen, protein, enzyme or antibody.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capture reagent is derived from the biotinylation of an allergen extract comprised of a multiplicity of allergens.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capture reagent exists as an amalgam of multiple biotinylated capture reagents selected from purified allergens, proteins, enzymes, antibodies and allergen extracts.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transferring the substrate and immune-conjugate complex to the optics box comprises using an automated pipette arm with a reusable optics pipette tip to aspirate the sample.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising entering the first and second fluorescence signals and chemiluminescence signal into an algorithm to generate a bead retention adjusted relative light unit signal.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising comparing the generated bead retention adjusted relative light unit signal to a calibration curve relative light unit signal.