Resolution of images used in processes such as sequencing by synthesis may be increased by structuring sites that would emit signals in the images to have different elevations. Differences in focus caused by these differences in elevation may be used to filter out background illumination, thereby providing an image in which in focus sites may be resolved even though the separation between any site and its nearest neighbor may be below the diffraction limit of the light that would be emitted.

Composition, systems, and methods for the induction of biological endpoints in a cheap contained system. In many embodiments, variation on well numbers on plates and ranging ultraviolet wavelengths produces different and controlled outcomes of the biological endpoint induction. Endpoint induction of this type allows for chemical induction, wherein the system can be turned on and off in short time periods.

Devices and methods for measuring the quantity of multiple analytes in a sample can include a device designed such that each of the analyte sensing elements is configured to measure the quantity of a predetermined analyte and machine executable instructions configured to select the proper analyte sensing element corresponding to the analyte to be measured.

A nucleic acid amplification and detection apparatus, including: a support configured to receive a plurality of reaction vessels containing respective samples of one or more nucleic acids to be amplified, the support being rotatable about an axis of rotation and the reaction vessels being received in the support at respective receiving locations distributed about the axis of rotation; a temperature control component thermally coupled to the support and configured to control the temperature of the support in order to amplify the nucleic acids contained in the reaction vessels while received in the support; one or more measurement components configured to measure one or more characteristics of the nucleic acids within the reaction vessels at respective measurement locations distributed about the axis of rotation; an actuator coupled to the support and configured to rotate the support about the axis of rotation; and a sample position controller coupled to the actuator and being configured to rotate the support about the axis of rotation so as to position a selected one of the plurality of reaction vessels to a selected one of the measurement locations to allow a corresponding one of the measurement components to perform a corresponding measurement on the corresponding sample.

A method for measuring process parameters in liquid cultures in a plurality of microreactors of at least one microtiter plate includes continuously agitating the liquid cultures using an orbital agitator at least until the reaction is completed in all the microreactors. In order to allow process parameters also of such substances which themselves do not have any fluorescence activity to be measured with relatively low complexity and within a short time, 2D fluorescence spectra are recorded in a plurality of in particular different liquid cultures in the microreactors of agitated microplates. A device for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

A compact optical imaging system including a single filter and a light source that provides lateral illumination for bead detection in digital assays. The light source is configured to emit light toward the detection vessel. The single filter is positioned to receive light reflected from a sample in the detection vessel, that originated from the light source, and receive an output from a sample in the detection vessel. A detector is configured to receive a portion of the reflected light and a portion of the output that passes through the single filter.

The invention provides devices that improve tests for detecting specific cellular, viral, and molecular targets in clinical, industrial, or environmental samples. The invention permits efficient detection of individual microscopic targets at low magnification for highly sensitive testing. The invention does not require washing steps and thus allows sensitive and specific detection while simplifying manual operation and lowering costs and complexity in automated operation. In short, the invention provides devices that can deliver rapid, accurate, and quantitative, easy-to-use, and cost-effective tests.

The invention relates to an apparatus for simultaneously analysing luminescence of a plurality of samples. The apparatus comprises a fibre-optic plate.

A method for determining the susceptibility of a bacteria to an antibiotic, comprising transferring one portion of a sample containing living bacterial cells into a bacterial growth medium to create a control sample; transferring another portion of the sample into a bacterial growth medium to which a predetermined amount of antibiotic or predetermined amount of a library of antibiotics has been added to create a test sample; adding an alkyne-modified non-canonical amino acid to both the control sample and test sample during bacterial growth, wherein the alkyne-modified non-canonical amino acid incorporates into surface proteins, internal proteins, or both; reacting the alkyne-containing proteins with an azide-modified detection molecule using click-chemistry to label the cells; detecting the labeled cells using a method that generates a detectable signal; and comparing the signal generated by the control sample to the signal generated by the test sample, wherein a decrease in detectable signal between the control sample and the test sample is indicative of susceptibility of the living bacteria to the predetermined antibiotic or predetermined library of antibiotics.

A fluorescence detection system, including apparatus and methods, suitable for qPCR and other fluorescence-based analyses. The system may comprise various components, including a stage, an illumination module, a detection module, and an optical relay structure. The stage may be configured to support a sample holder. The illumination module may include one or more discrete light sources configured to produce excitation light. The detection module may be configured to detect fluorescence emission light produced, in response to the excitation light, by a fluorescent sample positioned in the sample holder. The optical relay structure may include a beamsplitter assembly configured to direct the excitation light from the illumination module along an illumination path to the sample holder and to direct the fluorescence emission light from the sample holder along a response path to the imaging module. The system may enhance the quality of excitation light hitting samples in the sample holder.