Provided in part herein are pipette tip rack assemblies having one or more of the following features: (i) having a plurality of pipette tip receptacle plates, each plate having an array of pipette tips, stacked upon one another supported by a rack base; (ii) each plate having one or more projections from the proximal or distal surface and, optionally, orifices that oppose the projections of the next plate in the stack, and (iii) the rack base having a proximal surface with one or more orifices or projections that oppose the projections or orifices of the plate in the stack. Also provided are methods of dispensing pipette tips from pipette tip rack assemblies and manufacturing pipette tip rack assembly components.

An apparatus for hermetically sealed storage of liquids for a microfluidic system includes at least one cavity and at least one sealing cone. A connection to the microfluidic system is established via the at least one sealing cone. Additionally, the at least one sealing cone is configured to close the at least one cavity.

An automated system is provided for performing slide processing operations on slides bearing biological samples. In one embodiment, the disclosed system includes a slide tray holding a plurality of slides in a substantially horizontal position and a workstation that receives the slide tray. In a particular embodiment, a workstation delivers a reagent to slide surfaces without substantial transfer of reagent (and reagent borne contaminants such as dislodged cells) from one slide to another. A method for automated processing of slides also is provided.

A technique relates to a fluidic cell configured to hold a nanofluidic chip. A first plate is configured to hold the nanofluidic chip. A second plate is configured to fit on top of the first plate, such that the nanofluidic chip is held in place. The second plate has at least one first port and at least one second port. The second plate has an entrance hole configured to communicate with an inlet hole of the nanofluidic chip. The second port is angled above the first port, such that the first port and second port intersect to form a junction. The second port is formed to have a line-of-sight to the entrance hole, such that the second port is configured to receive input for extracting air trapped at a vicinity of the entrance hole.

A system may include a first conduit configured to form a first batch of discrete volumes of aqueous fluid separated by spacing liquid disposed between consecutive volumes of aqueous fluid, the spacing liquid being immiscible with the aqueous fluid volumes; a second conduit, fluidically coupled to the first conduit, the second conduit configured to statically hold the first batch of discrete volumes of aqueous fluid; and a third conduit configured to receive the first batch of discrete volumes of aqueous fluid from the second conduit. The third conduit can be configured to transfer the discrete volumes of aqueous fluid of the first batch for downstream processing.

A multi-channel system for classifying particles in a mixture of particles according to one or more characteristics including a common source of electromagnetic radiation for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation and a beam splitter for producing multiple beams of electromagnetic radiation for directing multiple beams of electromagnetic radiation to each interrogation location associated with each flow channel of the multi-channel system.

The present invention comprises methods and systems that use acoustic radiation pressure.

Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids, fluid components, and reactions are provided. In one aspect, such structures and methods can allow production of droplets of a precise volume, which can be stored/maintained at precise regions of the device. In another aspect, microfluidic structures and methods described herein are designed for containing and positioning components in an arrangement such that the components can be manipulated and then tracked even after manipulation. For example, cells may be constrained in an arrangement in microfluidic structures described herein to facilitate tracking during their growth and/or after they multiply.

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

Provided in part herein are pipette tip rack assemblies having one or more of the following features: (i) having a plurality of pipette tip receptacle plates, each plate having an array of pipette tips, stacked upon one another supported by a rack base; (ii) each plate having one or more projections from the proximal or distal surface and, optionally, orifices that oppose the projections of the next plate in the stack, and (iii) the rack base having a proximal surface with one or more orifices or projections that oppose the projections or orifices of the plate in the stack. Also provided are methods of dispensing pipette tips from pipette tip rack assemblies and manufacturing pipette tip rack assembly components.