The present invention relates to a method for cancer cell separation, and more specifically, relates to a method for cancer cell separation using micro-vibration.

A method for stretching a plurality of sample isolates, including: trapping the plurality of sample isolates away from a wall of at least one microfluidic channel of a microfluidic flow system; generating a microfluidic flow to stretch the plurality of trapped sample isolates; determining deformation characteristics of the plurality of stretched samples isolates based on one or more frames from an image processing system; and outputting information corresponding to the deformation characteristics.

A microfluidic device system includes a channel having an entrance and an exit, a height at the entrance being greater than a height at the exit. The height of the channel may decrease continuously from the height at the entrance to the height at the exit. Cells or particles or beads traveling through the channel become trapped based on their size and/or deformability. A visual sensor captures images of the trapped cells or particles or beads, and image software analyzes the captured images to provide size and/or deformability and/or fluorescence information. A method of fabricating such a microfluidic device includes introducing a glass wafer to an etching solution at a specific rate such that a first end of the glass wafer is etched longer than other portions of the glass wafer.

A system for dissociating cells from a cell culture vessel. The system comprises an imaging system configured to image a plurality of cells in a cell culture vessel being dissociated from at least one surface of the cell culture vessel by at least one cell dissociation agent; and at least one controller coupled to the imaging system and configured to: control the imaging system to capture a sequence of images of at least some cells in the plurality of cells during dissociation; and identify when to neutralize the at least one cell dissociation agent using the sequence of images.

The present invention relates to a method and system for a label-free cell analysis based on Brillouin light scattering techniques. Combined with microfluidic technologies according to the present invention, Brillouin spectroscopy constitutes a powerful tool to analyze physical properties of cells in a contactless non-disturbing manner. Specifically, subcellular mechanical information can be obtained by analyzing the Brillouin spectrum of a cell. Furthermore, a novel configuration of Brillouin spectroscopy is provided to enable simultaneous analysis of multiple points in a cell sample.

A microfluidic test apparatus including a microfluidic device having a first reservoir for receiving a first fluid containing a sample of cells, a microfluidic test region, a first microfluidic pathway provided between the microfluidic test region and the first reservoir; and a port for connection to a pump, the apparatus including a first pump connected to the port and configured to pump a priming fluid into the port, a second pump connected to the port and configured to apply suction at the port when operated and a controller configured to control operation of the first and second pumps, where the controller operates the first pump to prime the microfluidic device and operates the second pump to draw a test volume from the first reservoir into the microfluidic test region.

A particle analysis system includes an inlet; an inertial focusing microchannel disposed in a substrate and having a downstream expanding region at a distal end, where the inlet is connected to a proximal end of the microchannel; a plurality of outlets connected to the microchannel at the downstream expanding region; a plurality of fluidic resistors, where each fluidic resistor is connected to a respective outlet; and a particle analyzer configured to measure a size and a position of particles in the microchannel. A particle sorting system includes an inlet; an inertial focusing microchannel disposed in a substrate and having a downstream expanding region at a distal end, where the inlet is connected to a proximal end of the microchannel; a plurality of outlets connected to the microchannel at the downstream expanding region; and a plurality of fluidic resistors, where each fluidic resistor is connected to a respective outlet.

The present invention relates to a method and system for a label-free cell analysis based on Brillouin light scattering techniques. Combined with microfluidic technologies according to the present invention, Brillouin spectroscopy constitutes a powerful tool to analyze physical properties of cells in a contactless non-disturbing manner. Specifically, subcellular mechanical information can be obtained by analyzing the Brillouin spectrum of a cell. Furthermore, a novel configuration of Brillouin spectroscopy is provided to enable simultaneous analysis of multiple points in a cell sample.

The invention relates to a measuring device (10) for measuring physical characteristics of cells. The device (10) comprises: a microfluidic chip (20) provided with a flow channel (22) for allowing cells to flow through; a manipulator (24) configured to apply deformation force to a cell in a continuous flow; and a sensor (26) configured to sense a physical characteristic of the cell. The manipulator (24) and the sensor (26) are configured to define a width (W2) of the flow channel (22) as a gap formed between them. The manipulator (24) is configured to apply the deformation force to the cell by compressing the cell against the sensor (26).

Aspects of the present disclosure include a method for sorting cells of a sample based on an image of a cell in a flow stream. Methods according to certain embodiments include detecting light from a sample having cells in a flow stream, generating an image mask of a cell from the sample and sorting the cell based on the generated image mask. Systems having a processor with memory operably coupled to the processor having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate an image mask of a cell in a sample in a flow stream and to sort the cell based on the generated image mask are also described. Integrated circuit devices (e.g., field programmable gate arrays) having programming for generating an image mask and for determining one or more features of the cell are also provided.