Method and system for performing crystallization trials

1. A crystallization system, comprising:

a screen replicator having a transfer mechanism configured to transfer portions of different screen solutions contained in a screen storage plate to well regions of a crystallization plate;

a screen storage station including a housing configured to store a plurality of screen storage plates and mechanics for retrieving a selected screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates for transport to the screen replicator;

a transport mechanism configured to transport a screen storage plate retrieved by the screen storage station to the screen replicator; and

a controller including logic for causing the screen storage station to retrieve the selected screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates, logic for causing the transport mechanism to transport the selected screen storage plate from the screen storage station to the screen replicator, and logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer portions of different screen solutions from the selected screen storage plate to the well regions of the crystallization plate.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the crystallization plate to the screen replicator.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism includes a robotic arm.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanics of the screen storage station are configured to move the retrieved screen storage plate from the housing to a location where the transport mechanism can access the selected screen storage plate.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a covering device configured to remove a cover from the selected screen storage plate before arrival of the selected screen storage plate at the screen replicator.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a covering device configured to position a cover on screen storage plates to be stored in the screen storage station.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the covering device is configured to employ septa as covers.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the covering device is included in the screen storage station.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a screen generation station configured to position the screen solutions in the screen storage plate.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the screen generation station is configured to transfer component solutions from receptacles or bottles to the screen storage plate.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the selected screen storage plate from the screen generation station to the screen storage station.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes logic for identifying the selected screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller includes logic for identifying which of the plurality of screen storage plates contains a particular screen.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the logic for identifying the selected screen storage plate compares a screen identifier associated with the particular screen against screen identifiers listed in a tracking database, the tracking database including the screen identifiers associated with screen storage plates stored in the screen storage station.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer the screen solutions from the screen storage plate to a plurality of crystallization plates.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer the screen solutions from the screen storage plate to more than 5 crystallization plates.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer less than 500 μL of a screen solution from the screen storage plate into at least one well region of the crystallization plate.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer less than 250 μL of a screen solution from the screen storage plate into at least one well region of the crystallization plate.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the transport mechanism to transport the screen storage plate from the screen replicator to the screen storage station after causing the screen replicator to transfer portions of different screen solutions from the screen storage plate to well regions of the crystallization plate.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the transport mechanism to transport the screen storage plate from a screen generation station to the screen storage station, the screen generation station configured to position the screen solutions in the selected screen storage plate.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen generation station to generate the screen solutions contained in the selected screen storage plate.

22. A crystallization system, comprising:

a screen replicator having a transfer mechanism configured to transfer portions of different screen solutions contained in a screen storage plate to well regions of a crystallization plate;

a screen storage station including a housing configured to store a plurality of screen storage plates and mechanics for retrieving a screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates;

a transport mechanism configured to transport a screen storage plate; and

a controller including logic for causing the screen storage station to retrieve a screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates, logic for causing the transport mechanism to transport the retrieved screen storage plate from the screen storage station to the screen replicator, and logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer portions of different screen solutions from the selected screen storage plate to the well regions of the crystallization plate.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the crystallization plate to the screen replicator.

24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the transport mechanism includes a robotic arm.

25. The system of claim 22 , wherein the mechanics of the screen storage station are configured to move the retrieved screen storage plate from the housing to a location where the transport mechanism can access the selected screen storage plate.

26. The system of claim 22 , further comprising:

a covering device configured to remove a cover from the retrieved screen storage plate before arrival of the retrieved screen storage plate at the screen replicator.

27. The system of claim 22 , further comprising a covering device configured to position a cover on screen storage plates after screen solutions are transferred from the selected screen storage plate to the well regions of the crystallization plate.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the covering device is configured to employ septa as covers.

29. The system of claim 27 , wherein the covering device is included in the screen storage station.

30. The system of claim 22 , further comprising a screen generation station configured to position the screen solutions in the screen storage plate.

31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the screen generation station is configured to transfer component solutions from receptacles or bottles to the screen storage plate.

32. The system of claim 22 , wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the retrieved screen storage plate from the screen generation station to the screen storage station.

33. The system of claim 22 , wherein the controller includes logic for identifying the retrieved screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates.

34. The system of claim 33 , wherein the controller includes logic for identifying which of the plurality of screen storage plates contains a particular screen.

35. The system of claim 34 , wherein the logic for identifying the selected screen storage plate compares a screen identifier associated with the particular screen against screen identifiers listed in a tracking database, the tracking database including the screen identifiers associated with screen storage plates stored in the screen storage station.

36. The system of claim 22 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer the screen solutions from the screen storage plate to a plurality of crystallization plates.

37. The system of claim 22 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer the screen solutions from the screen storage plate to more than 5 crystallization plates.

38. The system of claim 22 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer less than 500 μL of a screen solution from the screen storage plate into at least one well region of the crystallization plate.

39. The system of claim 22 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer less than 250 μL of a screen solution from the screen storage plate into at least one well region of the crystallization plate.

40. The system of claim 22 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the transport mechanism to transport the screen storage plate from the screen replicator to the screen storage station after causing the screen replicator to transfer portions of different screen solutions from the screen storage plate to well regions of the crystallization plate.

41. The system of claim 40 , wherein the controller includes logic for causing the screen generation station to generate the screen solutions contained in the selected screen storage plate.

42. A crystallization system, comprising:

a screen replicator having a transfer mechanism configured to transfer portions of different screen solutions contained in a screen storage plate to well regions of a crystallization plate;

a screen storage station including a housing configured to store a plurality of screen storage plates and mechanics for retrieving a screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates;

a mixing station which mixes screen solutions in the screen storage plate;

a transport mechanism configured to transport screen storage plates among the screen replicator, the screen storage station and the mixing station; and

a controller including logic for causing the screen storage station to retrieve a screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates, logic for causing the transport mechanism to transport the retrieved screen storage plate from the screen storage station to the mixing station, logic for causing the transport mechanism to transport a screen storage plate from the mixing station to the screen replicator, and logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer portions of different screen solutions from the selected screen storage plate to the well regions of the crystallization plate.

43. The system of claim 42 , further comprising:

a covering device configured to remove a cover from the retrieved screen storage plate before transport of the retrieved screen storage plate to the screen replicator.

44. The system of claim 42 , further comprising a covering device configured to position a cover on screen storage plates after screen solutions are transferred from the selected screen storage plate to the well regions of the crystallization plate.

45. The system of claim 44 , wherein the covering device is configured to employ septa as covers.

46. The system of claim 44 , wherein the covering device is included in the screen storage station.