A business method for use in classifying patient samples. The method includes steps of collecting case samples representing a clinical phenotypic state and control samples representing patients without said clinical phenotypic state. Preferably the system uses a mass spectrometry platform system to identify patterns of polypeptides in said case samples and in the control samples without regard to the specific identity of at least some of said polypeptides. Based on identified representative patterns of the state, the business method provides for the marketing of diagnostic products using representative patterns. The present invention relates to systems and methods for identifying new markers, diagnosing patients with a biological state of interest, and marketing/commercializing such diagnostics. The present invention relates to systems and methods of greater sensitivity, specificity, and/or cost effectiveness.

Various systems, methods, and devices are provided for focusing particles suspended within a moving fluid into one or more localized stream lines. The system can include a substrate and at least one channel provided on the substrate having an inlet and an outlet. The system can further include a fluid moving along the channel in a laminar flow having suspended particles and a pumping element driving the laminar flow of the fluid. The fluid, the channel, and the pumping element can be configured to cause inertial forces to act on the particles and to focus the particles into one or more stream lines.

The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

The present invention provides microfluidic devices and methods for using the same. In particular, microfluidic devices of the present invention are useful in conducting a variety of assays and high throughput screening. Microfluidic devices of the present invention include elastomeric components and comprise a main flow channel; a plurality of branch flow channels; a plurality of control channels; and a plurality of valves. Preferably, each of the valves comprises one of the control channels and an elastomeric segment that is deflectable into or retractable from the main or branch flow channel upon which the valve operates in response to an actuation force applied to the control channel.

A fluid handling and delivery system useful in generating a fluid stream in the flow path of microfluidic device.

Various systems, methods, and devices are provided for focusing particles suspended within a moving fluid into one or more localized stream lines. The system can include a substrate and at least one channel provided on the substrate having an inlet and an outlet. The system can further include a fluid moving along the channel in a laminar flow having suspended particles and a pumping element driving the laminar flow of the fluid. The fluid, the channel, and the pumping element can be configured to cause inertial forces to act on the particles and to focus the particles into one or more stream lines.

A sample analyzing method of a sample analyzer for measuring samples, using a reagent container which comprises a writable and readable storage medium, the sample analyzing method including: storing information regarding a remaining amount of a reagent in the reagent container to a memory of the analyzer read from the storage medium; updating the information in the memory in response to an aspiration of the reagent; and writing updated information in the memory to the storage medium when an aspiration of the reagent in a plurality of measurements is completed. The writing of the updated information is postponed until the aspiration of the reagent in the plurality of measurements is completed.

A business method for use in classifying patient samples. The method includes steps of collecting case samples representing a clinical phenotypic state and control samples representing patients without said clinical phenotypic state. Preferably the system uses a mass spectrometry platform system to identify patterns of polypeptides in said case samples and in the control samples without regard to the specific identity of at least some of said polypeptides. Based on identified representative patterns of the state, the business method provides for the marketing of diagnostic products using representative patterns. The present invention relates to systems and methods for identifying new markers, diagnosing patients with a biological state of interest, and marketing/commercializing such diagnostics. The present invention relates to systems and methods of greater sensitivity, specificity, and/or cost effectiveness.

The invention relates to systems and methods including a combination of thermal generating device technologies to achieve more efficiency and accuracy in PCR temperature cycling of nucleic samples undergoing amplification.

An assay device and method are described. The assay may involve immobilizing a binding partner (e.g., an antigen or antibody) for an analyte to be detected (e.g., an antibody or antigen) on a portion of a surface of a microfluidic chamber; passing a fluid sample over the surface and allowing the analyte to bind to the binding partner; allowing a metal colloid, e.g., a gold-conjugated antibody, to associate with the bound analyte; flowing a metal solution, e.g., a silver solution, over the surface such as to form an opaque metallic layer; and detecting the presence of said metallic layer, e.g., by visual inspection or by measuring light transmission through the layer, conductivity or resistance of the layer, or metal concentration in the metal solution after flowing the metal solution over the surface.