According to an aspect of the present inventive concept there is provided a light excitation and collection device for a micro-fluidic system, comprising: a light source configured to generate excitation light; a plurality of excitation waveguides, each associated with a flow channel of the micro-fluidic system; wherein each excitation waveguide is configured to receive and redirect the excitation light towards the flow channel, such that the excitation light is elastically scattered by a sample in the flow channel forming forward and side scattered light; and wherein the light excitation and collection device further comprises: at least one forward scattered light collection point; and at least one side scattered light collection point; and wherein the forward scattered light collected for all excitation waveguides is detected by a first plurality of light sensitive areas and the side scattered light collected for all excitation waveguides is detected by a second plurality of light sensitive areas, the first and the second pluralities of light sensitive areas form different groups of light sensitive areas.

Droplet sorting modules for sorting droplets of a flow stream are described. Droplet sorting modules according to certain embodiments include a plurality of droplet sort decision units and a processor with memory operably coupled to the processor, where the memory includes instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine an optimal droplet sort decision unit from the plurality of sort decision units for sorting each droplet of the flow stream. Particle (e.g., cells) sorting systems and methods for sorting droplets of a flow stream are also described. Kits having one or more of the subject droplet sorting modules are also provided.

Droplet sorting modules for sorting droplets of a flow stream are described. Droplet sorting modules according to certain embodiments include a plurality of droplet sort decision units and a processor with memory operably coupled to the processor, where the memory includes instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine an optimal droplet sort decision unit from the plurality of sort decision units for sorting each droplet of the flow stream. Particle (e.g., cells) sorting systems and methods for sorting droplets of a flow stream are also described. Kits having one or more of the subject droplet sorting modules are also provided.

The present invention concerns a system for phenotypical profiling of at least one object and deterministic nanoliter-droplet encapsulation, comprising sample supplying means, buffer supplying means; a microfluidic chip comprising an encapsulation area or structure in which the object is encapsulated with a quantity of the reaction buffer by the droplet; detection means configured to detect the passage of the object through the first imaging chamber; at least one valve configured to stop the flow of the sample buffer when the detection means detect passage of the object through the first imaging chamber; phenotypical assessing means configured to assess the phenotype of the object when the flow of the sample buffer is stopped by the valve and the object is at an object stopping site; a droplet deposition means configured to deposit the droplet in a well or in a well of a multi-well plate and comprising an outlet capillary.

Provided is a measurement device, including: a droplet forming part configured to form aerosol-like liquid droplets from a liquid in which a fluorescent substance specifically bondable to detection target particles and a specimen are mixed with each other; a droplet sorting part configured to sort droplets having a diameter smaller than a predetermined value from the droplets formed by the droplet forming part; and a measurement part configured to irradiate light onto the droplets sorted by the droplet sorting part and configured to measure the fluorescence intensity of the droplets.

This disclosure concerns a cytometry system including a handling system that enables presentation of single cells to at least one laser source. The laser source is configured to deliver light to a cell within the cells in order to induce bond vibrations in the cellular DNA. The system further includes a detection facility that detects the signature of the bond vibrations, wherein the bond vibration signature is used to determine the folding or packing of the DNA.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a droplet system, apparatus, or fluid sample testing system to accomplish high-precision and high-efficiency droplet manipulation (e.g., greater than 99% platform operation efficiency). In some embodiments, the droplet system, apparatus, or fluid sample testing system includes at least one microfluidic channel or chamber and at least one interdigitated electrode (IDE) that can create a localized electric field below and/or within at least one fluidic channel or chamber. In some embodiments, this allows size-specific and/or size-dependent droplet manipulation.

This disclosure concerns a cytometry system including a handling system that enables presentation of single cells to at least one laser source. The laser source is configured to deliver light to a cell within the cells in order to induce bond vibrations in the cellular DNA. The system further includes a detection facility that detects the signature of the bond vibrations, wherein the bond vibration signature is used to determine the folding or packing of the DNA.

An automatic system which combines a three-branch sorter with three independently-controlled valves and corresponding collection platforms. The subgroups of droplets are alternatively sorted into three channels followed by being pumped out into PCR tubes on the platforms. Experimentally, this system can realize an accurate collection with a large working range for both pure positive samples and mixed samples with negative ones. This technology effectively dispenses a large number of droplets into small subgroups with quantitative number, which builds the basis for digital droplet microfluidics.

An automatic system which combines a three-branch sorter with three independently-controlled valves and corresponding collection platforms. The subgroups of droplets are alternatively sorted into three channels followed by being pumped out into PCR tubes on the platforms. Experimentally, this system can realize an accurate collection with a large working range for both pure positive samples and mixed samples with negative ones. This technology effectively dispenses a large number of droplets into small subgroups with quantitative number, which builds the basis for digital droplet microfluidics.