Reagents for use in sandwich immunoassays for haptens are disclosed, along with kits containing same. Also disclosed are diagnostic immunoassay methods that utilize these immunoassay reagents in a particle enhanced agglutination detection assay for detecting haptens/drugs in samples.

A method of fabricating a substrate for analysis fixes antibodies that specifically react with specific antigens included in detection target substances to the substrate for analysis. The method subjects the substrate for analysis to immersion treatment with a predetermined treatment solution so as to form antibody aggregations in which the antibodies are aggregated at boundary regions between recesses and convex portions on the substrate for analysis. The method causes the antigens and the antibodies to react with each other so as to capture the detection target substances on the substrate for analysis by the antibody aggregations.

A cell selection and sorting process includes attaching cells of a target cell type to a first set of polymeric beads, washing the chamber through a first filter having a first pore size less than the first bead diameter to retain the first set of polymeric beads and greater than a cell diameter to remove unattached cells, releasing the cells of the target cell type from the first set of polymeric beads, and collecting the cells of the target cell type. A cell modification process includes modifying cells of the target cell type in the chamber. A cell modification system includes a cell modification chamber with entry ports and outlet ports, filters with predetermined pore sized selectably located on the outlet ports, and sets of polymeric beads with predetermined diameters being selected such that the sets of polymeric beads are separable by the filters.

Provided are populations of polypeptides, wherein each member of the population of polypeptides includes or is an amino sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 6. Also provided are methods for identifying polypeptides that bind to pre-selected target molecules, which in some embodiments can include providing a population of polypeptides as described herein, contacting the population of polypeptides with a pre-selected target molecule, and identifying a complex comprising at least one member of the population of polypeptides bound to the pre-selected target molecule; and populations of nucleic acid molecules that encode the presently disclosed populations of polypeptides.

An imaging system and method for detecting a target in a sample. The imaging system includes a lens-free holographic microscope having a light source in a first plane spaced above an image sensor. The image sensor extends in a second plane. The system also includes a microfluidic chip positioned between the light source and the image sensor. The microfluidic chip extends in a third plane, which is parallel to the second plane. There is at least one chamber in the microfluidic chip configured to receive a sample solution with a target. The system also has a plurality of functionalized beads positioned within the at least one chamber in the microfluidic chip. Any two of the plurality of functionalized beads have an affinity for binding together when exposed to the target in the sample solution.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for separating, directing, and/or extracting a target molecule from a mix of molecules and may comprise a plurality of non-magnetic beads suspended in a ferro fluid, where the non-magnetic beads may be functionalized with at least one predetermined first molecule configured to bind with a target particle. A microfluidic device may be included which may comprise at least one microfluidic channel, the device configured to dynamically and/or statically receive an amount of the mix. Magnetic field means may be included and may be configured to apply a magnetic field to at least a portion of the at least one channel to exert an indirect force on the non-magnetic heads in the ferro fluid mix, and separate the non-magnetic beads from the ferrofluid. The beads may then be directed to at least one receptor region. At least one outlet may be provided which is arranged to be in communication with the at least one microfluidic channel, the at least one outlet may be configured to receive and extract the separated non-magnetic beads from the ferrofluid.

The invention relates to method and kits for highly specific isolation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by targeting at least two EV surface markers. The invention further relates to methods and kits for analyzing EVs and their contents.

Bead-based analytical assays suitable for detecting changes in the abundance of target analytes in biological samples are disclosed. In an embodiment, an assay involves incubating a sample with one or several beads that are capable of binding several distinct analytes in an amount sufficient for detection by mass spectrometry from a single bead.

A method for rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing by tracking sub-micron scale motion of single bacterial cells including obtaining a biological sample from a subject including live bacteria. Different doses of antibiotic are added to a multi-well glass slide and adding portions of the biological sample to the wells. Bacterial cells are tethered onto the surface. The tethered bacterial cells are imaged and tracked. Bacterial sub-micron motion of tethered cells is measured at the different doses. A processor performs statistical analysis on a population of cells for each antibiotic dose to generate an antibiotic dose curve proportional to the motion changes, where the antibiotic dose curve plots data including a decrease in movement over time indicating a proportional effectiveness of an antibiotic applied to a well.

Systems and methods are provided for sample processing. A device may be provided, capable of receiving the sample, and performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing multiple assays. The device may comprise one or more modules that may be capable of performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing the steps using a small volume of sample.