A microfluidic sorting device and method employing dielectrophoresis (DEP) induced field flow separations are described herein. The microfluidic sorting device has a microchannel and an array of electrodes disposed along the microchannel. The electrodes may be oriented at an angle relative to the microchannel. Non-mammalian samples such as plant samples flow in the microchannel and through the electrode array. Current is passed through the electrodes causing a DEP force to be exerted on the samples. This force may generate a torque that causes one type of sample to rotate and slide along the electrodes, thus separating the samples by type. The separated samples are collected in different output channels

The microfluidic chip and the microfluidic system of the present invention provides a unique integration of a microfluidic chip and a label-free quantification process. The microfluidic chip uses well arrays and dielectrophoresis (DEP) to capture a polarizable agent in a well. Once the polarizable agents have been captured, non-faradaic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (nF-EIS) measurements can be performed to quantify the polarizable agent.

Optically-actuated microfluidic devices permit the use of spatially-modulated light to manipulate micro-objects such as biological cells. Systems and methods are described for providing sequences of light patterns to move and direct a plurality of micro-objects within the environment of a microfluidic device. The sequenced light patterns provide improved efficiency in directing the transport of the plurality of micro-objects. Other embodiments are described.

A biosensor system includes an array of biosensors with a plurality of electrodes situated proximate the biosensor. A controller is configured to selectively energize the plurality of electrodes to generate a DEP force to selectively position a test sample relative to the array of biosensors.

Apparatus is providing featuring a synthetic bead having a solid-phase body with a surface, and being configured with a predetermined electric charge so as to respond to a corresponding predetermined electric field; and a plurality of molecules attached to at least part of the surface, the molecules comprising a functional group selected for attracting and attaching one or more mineral particles of interest to the molecules. Some combination of the solid-phase body or the surface may be configured from a polymer. The polymer may be polyethylenimine. The polyethylenimine may be engineered or configured to be highly charged so as to be used to collect the mineral particles of interest and then manipulated through and by the corresponding predetermined electric field.

Apparatus for use in, or forming part of, a separation process to be implemented in separation processor technology, the apparatus comprising synthetic bubbles or beads configured with a polymer or polymer-based material functionalized to attach to a valuable material in a mixture so as to form an enriched synthetic bubbles or beads having the valuable material attached thereto, and also configured to be separated from the mixture based at least partly on a difference in a physical property between the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads having the valuable material attached thereto and the mixture.

Apparatus for use in, or forming part of, a separation process to be implemented in separation processor technology, the apparatus comprising synthetic bubbles or beads configured with a polymer or polymer-based material functionalized to attach to a valuable material in a mixture so as to form an enriched synthetic bubbles or beads having the valuable material attached thereto, and also configured to be separated from the mixture based at least partly on a difference in a physical property between the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads having the valuable material attached thereto and the mixture.

Methods of sorting T lymphocytes in a microfluidic device are provided. The methods can include flowing a fluid sample comprising T lymphocytes through a region of a microfluidic device that contains an array of posts. The array of posts can be configured to have a critical size (D.sub.c) that separates activated T lymphocytes from naïve T lymphocytes. Also provided are microfluidic devices having an array of posts configured to separate activated T lymphocytes from naïve T lymphocytes, compositions enriched for T lymphocytes, particularly activated T lymphocytes that are known to be reactive to an antigen of interest, and methods of treating subjects suffering from a pathogenic disorder or cancer by administering such compositions.

Methods for fabricating a biochip for detecting or sequencing biomolecules are shown. Such a biochip may for instance include: a base member; a dielectric layer deposited on the base member and having at least two rows of discrete recesses formed thereon; and two or more electrodes sandwiched between the base member and the dielectric layer and running under respective row of discrete recesses, the two or more electrodes separated from each other along lengths thereof by a portion of the dielectric layer; wherein the dielectric layer defines a continuous operation surface above the electrodes and on which the discrete recesses are deposited for detecting or sequencing of biomolecules, when an electric field is applied through the electrodes, a field gradient is created to draw a biomolecule towards a preferred part of the operation surface.

The present invention provides novel microfluidic substrates and methods that are useful for performing biological, chemical and diagnostic assays. The substrates can include a plurality of electrically addressable, channel bearing fluidic modules integrally arranged such that a continuous channel is provided for flow of immiscible fluids.