US 11,817,187 B2
Handling and tracking of biological specimens for cryogenic storage
Brian Bixon, Jersey City, NJ (US); Kathryn Go, Somerville, MA (US); Amit Gupta, Jersey City, NJ (US); Benjamin Harlow, Brooklyn, NY (US); Alan Murray, New York, NY (US); and Tim Sharp, Farmingdale, NY (US)
Assigned to TMRW Life Sciences, Inc., New York, NY (US)
Filed by TMRW Life Sciences, Inc., New York, NY (US)
Filed on May 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/321,174.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/026,526, filed on May 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0358578 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. G16H 10/40 (2018.01); G16H 70/20 (2018.01); G16H 40/20 (2018.01); A01N 1/02 (2006.01); G06K 7/14 (2006.01); G16H 70/60 (2018.01); G16H 40/67 (2018.01)
CPC G16H 10/40 (2018.01) [A01N 1/0252 (2013.01); G06K 7/1413 (2013.01); G06K 7/1417 (2013.01); G16H 40/20 (2018.01); G16H 40/67 (2018.01); G16H 70/20 (2018.01); G16H 70/60 (2018.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for handling a biological specimen of a subject for a procedure involving that specimen, the method comprising:
prior to initiation of the procedure:
generating, by a data-processing system operating under program control, a first procedure data structure (PDS) to be stored in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, wherein the first PDS is a single data structure that uniquely binds (a) an identifier corresponding to the subject, (b) an indicator of a procedure to be performed on the biological specimen, wherein the procedure includes cryogenic storage or retrieval of the biological specimen, (c) an identifier corresponding to a specimen container of the biological specimen, (d) an identifier corresponding to a specimen holder that physically contacts the biological specimen, (e) a scheduled time for the procedure, and (f) an identifier corresponding to the first PDS; and
causing, by the data-processing system operating under program control, a displaying, on a display device of a graphical user interface, a schedule of a plurality of PDSs including the first PDS, comprising indicia of at least a portion of bindings (a)-(f) for the first PDS;
initiating, by the data-processing system operating under program control, the procedure associated with the first PDS based on user input interactive with the displayed schedule;
in response to initiation of the procedure, passing, by the data-processing system operating under program control, at least a portion of the first PDS to a controller of a cryogenic storage and retrieval system that autonomously stores or retrieves the biological specimen as part of carrying out the procedure;
following initiation of the procedure, updating the first PDS, by the data-processing system operating under program control, to indicate (1) an actual time of performance of the procedure, (2) an identification of a human operator carrying out the procedure, and (3) an indication of a condition of the biological specimen as assessed during the procedure; and
following conclusion of the procedure, storing, by the data-processing system operating under program control, at least a portion of the first PDS, as updated, in a database in conjunction with other PDSs respectively associated with other completed procedures.