Project number
27027
Organization
Roche Tissue Diagnostics
Offering
ENGR498-F2026-S2027
Cancer and many other diseases rely on histopathology for diagnosis. This process typically involves taking a tissue biopsy, processing it, staining it, and viewing the cells under a microscope. The staining step is critical because most cells are transparent at visible wavelengths. Applying stains that bind to different cellular components makes these cells visible under a microscope, thus allowing pathologists to differentiate between normal and diseased cells.
Roche Diagnostic Solutions (RDS), develops and manufactures various automated instruments to aid in the diagnostic process ranging from advanced staining systems to high quality antibodies to digital imaging and AI assisted diagnosis. Roche’s automated staining instruments help standardize and optimize the staining process, ensuring accurate and reproducible results. Meanwhile Roche’s immunohistochemistry (IHC) reagents offer disease- and/or therapeutic drug-specific staining.
Roche manufactures hundreds of different reagents used in various combinations specific to each individual staining protocol. Labs may use multiple staining protocols at the same time. One of the first steps in the automated staining process is for the instrument to read the slide barcodes, determine which staining protocols have been ordered, and then determine if the correct reagents are in place on the instrument to begin the staining procedures.
The goal for this project is to create a standalone prototype subsystem that is able to read up to 20 barcodes in a rack of densely packed microscope slides. This prototype should be designed such that it can eventually be incorporated into a larger staining instrument. The barcodes contain information about which staining protocol will be used on the slide. These protocols determine which reagents are needed before staining can begin. The prototype must read the barcodes fast enough for the instrument to determine if all necessary reagents are on-board before the user walks away. Since the standalone prototype will not be integrated into the instrument at this stage, it will need a user interface and the ability to store all the barcode information.
The final deliverable is a working prototype which must meet predetermined customer requirements and a report to document how the design meets (or does not meet) the specified requirements below.
Roche Diagnostic Solutions (RDS), develops and manufactures various automated instruments to aid in the diagnostic process ranging from advanced staining systems to high quality antibodies to digital imaging and AI assisted diagnosis. Roche’s automated staining instruments help standardize and optimize the staining process, ensuring accurate and reproducible results. Meanwhile Roche’s immunohistochemistry (IHC) reagents offer disease- and/or therapeutic drug-specific staining.
Roche manufactures hundreds of different reagents used in various combinations specific to each individual staining protocol. Labs may use multiple staining protocols at the same time. One of the first steps in the automated staining process is for the instrument to read the slide barcodes, determine which staining protocols have been ordered, and then determine if the correct reagents are in place on the instrument to begin the staining procedures.
The goal for this project is to create a standalone prototype subsystem that is able to read up to 20 barcodes in a rack of densely packed microscope slides. This prototype should be designed such that it can eventually be incorporated into a larger staining instrument. The barcodes contain information about which staining protocol will be used on the slide. These protocols determine which reagents are needed before staining can begin. The prototype must read the barcodes fast enough for the instrument to determine if all necessary reagents are on-board before the user walks away. Since the standalone prototype will not be integrated into the instrument at this stage, it will need a user interface and the ability to store all the barcode information.
The final deliverable is a working prototype which must meet predetermined customer requirements and a report to document how the design meets (or does not meet) the specified requirements below.