Various embodiments of the teachings relate to a system or method for sample preparation or analysis in biochemical or molecular biology procedures. The sample preparation can involve small volume processed in discrete portions or segments or slugs, herein referred to as discrete volumes. A molecular biology procedure can be nucleic acid analysis. Nucleic acid analysis can be an integrated DNA amplification/DNA sequencing procedure.

A point-of-care diagnostic system that includes a cartridge and a reader. The cartridge can contain a patient sample, such as a blood sample. The cartridge is inserted into the reader and the patient sample is analyzed. The reader contains various analysis systems, such as an electrophoresis detection system that uses electrophoresis testing to identify and quantify various components of the blood sample. The reader can process data from the various patient sample analysis to provide interpretative results indicative of a disorder, condition, disease and/or infection of the patient.

In one aspect, a biological sequencing device comprising a cartridge configured to be removed from the instrument is disclosed. In various embodiments the cartridge can include one or more capillaries suitable for capillary electrophoresis, a reservoir and a pump. In various embodiments the reservoir can contain a separation matrix. In various embodiments the pump can load a capillary with separation matrix. In another aspect the biological sequencing device can include one or more capillaries and an integrated valve assembly. In various embodiments the integrated valve assembly can provide a polymer to the one or more capillaries.

A method for forming discrete volumes of aqueous fluid may comprise flowing aqueous fluid into a first conduit from a supply of aqueous fluid and flowing into the first conduit a spacing liquid supplied from a second conduit, the spacing liquid being immiscible with the aqueous fluid. The flowing of the aqueous fluid and the spacing liquid into the first conduit forms discrete volumes of the aqueous fluid, with consecutive discrete volumes of the aqueous fluid separated by the spacing liquid. The method may further comprise transferring the discrete volumes of the aqueous fluid and spacing liquid from the first conduit to a third conduit for processing.

Methods for nanopore-based protein analysis are provided. The methods address the characterization of a target protein analyte, which has a dimension greater than an internal diameter of the nanopore tunnel, and which is also physically associated with a polymer. The methods further comprise applying an electrical potential to the nanopore system to cause the polymer to interact with the nanopore tunnel. The ion current through the nanopore is measured to provide a current pattern reflective of the structure of the portion of the polymer interacting with the nanopore tunnel. This is used as a metric for characterizing the associated protein that does not pass through the nanopore.

The present disclosure generally relates to devices and methods for effecting epitachophoresis in order to isolate/purify analytes from urine samples or other samples comprising high salt concentrations, e.g., sodium or potassium salts. Epitachophoresis may be used to effect sample analysis, such as by selective separation, detection, extraction, and/or pre-concentration of target analytes such as, for example, DNA, RNA, and/or other biological molecules. Said target analytes may be collected following epitachophoresis and used for desired downstream applications and further analysis.

An immunofixation electrophoresis applicator system and method deposits antisera in spaced apart locations on a substrate where the antisera is deposited as an elongated bead in a first direction and retained against migration in a direction transverse to said first direction at least by surface tension.

A biochip for the integration of all steps in a complex process from the insertion of a sample to the generation of a result, performed without operator intervention includes microfluidic and macrofluidic features that are acted on by instrument subsystems in a series of scripted processing steps. Methods for fabricating these complex biochips of high feature density by injection molding are also provided.

An electrophoretic device for detecting biomarkers in collected bodily fluid and methods of using the same.

The present disclosure relates to fluidic systems and devices for processing, extracting, or purifying one or more analytes. These systems and devices can be used for processing samples and extracting nucleic acids, for example by isotachophoresis. In particular, the systems and related methods can allow for extraction of nucleic acids, including non-crosslinked nucleic acids, from samples such as tissue or cells. The systems and devices can also be used for multiplex parallel sample processing.