B01F13/00

IN VITRO EVOLUTION IN MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEMS

The invention describes a method for isolating one or more genetic elements encoding a gene product having a desired activity, comprising the steps of: (a) compartmentalising genetic elements into microcapsules; and (b) sorting the genetic elements which express the gene product having the desired activity; wherein at least one step is under microfluidic control. The invention enables the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids and proteins by repeated mutagenesis and iterative applications of the method of the invention.

Microfluidic Device for the Generation of Combinatorial Samples
20170282145 · 2017-10-05 ·

The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic device and a method allowing the generating and screening of combinatorial samples. A microfluidic device for producing droplets of at least one sample into an immiscible phase is provided, the device comprising a droplet maker connecting an immiscible phase channel and a sample channel having at least one sample inlet connected to at least one sample inlet channel injecting the at least one sample into the sample channel, wherein the injection of the at least one sample is controlled by at least one sample valve, so that the at least one sample flows either towards a sample waste outlet or into the at least one sample inlet channel, wherein different sample inlet channel of the at least one sample inlet channel have the same hydrodynamic resistance resulting from the length, height and width of each sample inlet channel upstream of the droplet maker.

Microfluid device and method of producing diffusively built gradients
09778153 · 2017-10-03 · ·

A microfluid device for producing diffusively built gradients comprising a bottom plate and a cover plate, wherein the cover plate has recesses and is connected to the bottom plate in a liquid-tight manner so that the recesses form at least two reservoirs and one observation chamber, which connects the reservoir, a reservoir can be filled particularly through an inlet/outlet through the cover plate, and the cross-sectional surface of the observation chamber is at least 5 times, preferably at least 200 times smaller at the aperture of the observation chamber into one of the reservoirs than the maximum cross-sectional surface of the reservoir in parallel to this cross-sectional surface of the observation chamber.

Method for the assembly of a polynucleic acid sequence

Provided herein are methods for the assembly of a polynucleic acid sequence that is at least partially carried out on a microfluidic device; methods for the preparation of a library of polynucleic acid sequences; microfluidic devices; methods for designing nucleic acid sequences; methods for planning the assembly of a polynucleic acid sequence from a plurality of nucleic acid sequences; systems comprising components for carrying out these methods; computer programs which, when run on a computer, implements these methods; and computer readable medium or carrier signals encoding such a computer program.

System and methods for making and processing emulsions

An automated on-touch template bead preparation system is provided and includes a membrane-based emulsion generation subsystems, an emulsion PCR (ePCR) thermocycling plate and subsystem, and a continuous centrifugation emulsion breaking and templated bead collection subsystem. The emulsion generation subsystem provides uniformity in the preparation of an inverse emulsion and may be used to create large or small volume inverse emulsions rapidly and reproducibly. An emulsion-generating device is provided that can supply a continuous stream of an inverse emulsion to a thermocycling subsystem, in automated fashion. The ePCR subsystem can continuously thermocycle an inverse emulsion passed therethrough and includes static temperature zones and a consumable thermocycling plate. The continuous centrifugation subsystem can continuously break a thermally cycled inverse emulsion and collect template beads formed in the aqueous microreactor droplets of the inverse emulsion.

Liquid mixing method and device

Provided is a method of mixing first and second liquids having mutual solubility inside a mixing flow channel formed by a micro flow channel. This method includes: causing the first and second liquids to be joined to each other inside the mixing flow channel; and forming a slug flow, in which mixing subject cells (60) formed by the joined liquid and insoluble fluid cells (63) formed by an insoluble fluid are alternately arranged, inside a flow channel at the downstream side of an insoluble fluid supply position in a manner such that the insoluble fluid having insolubility with respect to both mixing subject liquids is supplied to the joined liquid flowing through the flow channel in a direction intersecting the flow channel so that the joined liquid is divided with a gap therebetween, thereby mixing the first mixing subject liquid and the second mixing subject liquid contained in each mixing subject cell inside the downstream flow channel.

Dispensing apparatus for a multi-component mass
09776203 · 2017-10-03 · ·

A dispensing apparatus simultaneous discharges at least two flowable components of a multi-component mass from different storage volumes. The dispensing apparatus includes a passive mixing unit having a central mixing passage extending along a flow direction and being configured to guide the components mixed with one another, and including at least two inlets opening into the central mixing passage, the inlets being associated with the same storage volume and open into the mixing passage at different positions along the flow direction.

Integrated medicine mixing interface

An integrated medicine mixing interface comprising a medicine mixing mouth (1), hard double interfaces (2) and a medicine feed needle (3). The hard double interfaces (2) comprise a base (21), a medicine mixing interface (22) and an infusion interface (23). The medicine mixing mouth (1) and the medicine mixing interface (22) are integrated. When using the integrated medicine mixing interface, it is only necessary to weld the base (21) to the bag body of a soft infusion bag (11) and integrate the medicine mixing mouth (1) with the medicine mixing interface on the hard double interfaces (2) without adopting a hose connection and an easily folding handle, which not only reduces hose installation location, but also avoids welding leakage brought about by hose welding defects. Moreover, the structure is simple and the costs are low.

Biomolecule isolation
09777269 · 2017-10-03 · ·

Methods, devices and systems for handling sample liquids, encapsulating liquids and magnetic particles are disclosed.

Baby bottle blender
09775454 · 2017-10-03 ·

A baby bottle blender includes a baby bottle having a top collar with external threads and a bottom collar with external threads. A nipple has an anti-colic air vent. The nipple cap is internally threaded to be removable threaded onto the top collar of the baby bottle and holds the nipple extending through a central aperture of the nipple cap onto the top collar. A top cover snaps over the nipple cap and covers the nipple. An agitating unit is centrally retained within a bottom attaching cap of the baby bottle. Next, a base member has a top recess to engage with the agitating unit in the bottom attaching cap on the baby bottle. An electrical mechanism in the base member is for operating the agitating unit, so that the agitating unit will mix formula within a liquid placed through the top collar of the baby bottle in approximately seven (7) seconds to thoroughly blend the formula.