Non-contact dispenser assemblies and related systems and methods are disclosed. An implementation of an apparatus is disclosed that includes a reagent cartridge including a body defining a plurality of reservoirs. Each reservoir has an outlet and a distal end defining an opening, a manifold assembly including an outlet, a common fluidic line fluidly coupled to the outlet, a plurality of reagent fluidic lines coupled to the corresponding outlet of the reservoirs, and a plurality of membrane valves selectively fluidly coupling the common fluidic line and a corresponding one of the plurality of reagent fluidic lines.

Film seal assemblies that seal one or more reagents within a sample cartridge, which allow for single lid cartridge designs. Such film seal assemblies can include one or more layers, a bottom-most layer that permanently seals with a sample cartridge having multiple chambers for one or more reagents, and top-most layer that releasably seals vent opening(s) in the film seal assembly and is removable by the end user. This configuration allows use of a single lid, which can be integrally formed with cartridge body or a separate component attached atop the cartridge body. The film seal assembly can include peelable liner(s) or can releasably attached to an underside of the single lid. Such film assemblies can include multiple layers that include a polypropylene layer for permanently sealing to a rigid propylene cartridge body and polyester top layers for releasably and hermetically sealing with a liner or the lid.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for performing automated assays, and particularly to performing sequential assays on a sample on an automated instrument.

This invention relates to an apparatus for conducting immunoassay test. The apparatus includes a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold a rod-shaped portion of a probe along the vertical direction, and a push pin configured to move along a horizontal direction, the push pin being capable of residing at a first position and a second position. A tip of the push pin is capable of pressing the rod-shaped portion of the probe against the groove when the push pin resides at the first position. The distance between the tip of the push pin and the groove is larger than a diameter of the rod-shaped portion of the probe when the push pin resides at the second position.

The present disclosure relates to apparatus for dispensing or assaying biofluid samples as well as a system for dispensing and assaying biofluid. One embodiment of the biofluid sample dispensing apparatus comprises a set of reservoirs and cavities, each reservoir comprising an inlet for receiving biofluid, an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet, a peripheral barrier surrounding the outlet for containing the biofluid sample within a cavity residing within said reservoir, a valve disposed at the outlet for releasably sealing the biofluid sample, as well as an overflow outlet to limit the predetermined volume of biofluid sample. An apparatus for assaying biofluid comprises a receptacle for housing cuvettes, a receptacle sealing element for sealing engagement between the receptacle and a biofluid sample dispensing apparatus for sealing the cuvettes and an automated system connected to receptacle for performing an assay process.

A system, methods, and apparatus are described to collect and prepare single cells, nuclei, subcellular components, and biomolecules from specimens including tissues. The system can perform enzymatic and/or physical disruption of the tissue to dissociate it into single-cells or nuclei in suspension or subcellular components including nucleic acids. In some embodiments, the titer of dissociated cells is monitored at intervals and the viability determined. In some embodiments, the processing is adjusted according to the measurements of the titer and viability. In some embodiments, the single-cells or nuclei in suspension are washed and resuspended in the buffer or media of choice. In some embodiments, the conditions are chosen to produce nuclei. In other embodiments, the single-cells or nuclei are purified by affinity paramagnetic bead processing. In some embodiments, matched bulk nucleic acid to the single-cells is produced. In other embodiments, single-cell libraries, or nuclei libraries, or matched bulk libraries, or bulk libraries are produced. The single cells or nuclei can then be further processed by FACS, DNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, fluorescence, or other methods. In other embodiments, the tissue processing is integrated with an analytical system to produce a sample-to-answer system such as a tissue-to-genomics system.

This invention relates to an apparatus for conducting immunoassay test. The apparatus includes a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold a rod-shaped portion of a probe along the vertical direction, and a push pin configured to move along a horizontal direction, the push pin being capable of residing at a first position and a second position. A tip of the push pin is capable of pressing the rod-shaped portion of the probe against the groove when the push pin resides at the first position. The distance between the tip of the push pin and the groove is larger than a diameter of the rod-shaped portion of the probe when the push pin resides at the second position.

There is provided an automated biological-sample-processing system comprising a pipette, a column of solid-phase material to which nucleic acid binds, a transport apparatus, an air-piston apparatus and an adaptor for coupling the pipette to the transport apparatus and to the air-piston apparatus, in which the adaptor is removably engageable with the transport apparatus and the air-piston apparatus for movement with the transport apparatus during processing of the sample, is couplable to the pipette so that the transport apparatus is controllable to position the pipette and so that the air-piston apparatus is controllable to draw a liquid into the pipette and to expel the liquid from the pipette, and is engageable with the column, in which the adaptor comprises a filter for preventing liquid or aerosol transfer between the pipette or column and the air-piston apparatus.

Aspects of the present disclosure include sample analysis methods and systems. According to certain embodiments, provided are methods of analyzing samples in an automated sample analysis system. The methods include introducing samples and sample preparation cartridges into the system, isolating and purifying an analyte (e.g., nucleic acids and/or proteins) present in the samples at a sample preparation station, and performing analyte detection assays in assay mixtures that include the purified analyte. Also provided are automated sample analysis systems that find use, e.g., in performing the methods of the present disclosure. In certain aspects, the methods and systems provide for continuous operator access during replenishment or removal of one or any combination of samples, bulk fluids, reagents, commodities, waste, and/or the like.

An extraction system includes a support bar including a sample well, a reagent well, at least one washing well, and at least one protection and retention housing; a pipetting element removably mounted on the support bar and extending at least partially into the at least one protection and retention housing; and a filtering and transfer device configured to capture and accumulate microorganisms contained in the sample and transfer the captured and accumulated microorganisms, the filtering and transfer device being removably mounted on the support bar and extending at least partially into the at least one protection and retention housing. The filtering and transfer device includes a hollow body having an elongated shape and including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; and a filtering element fixed to the distal end portion of the hollow body.