The present invention relates to devices and methods for collecting liquid samples such as for removing a target liquid sample fraction from a larger liquid sample, e.g., from a biological sample. These devices and methods are particularly useful for rapidly and cost-effectively removing the buffy coat layer from an anticoagulated blood sample. These devices and methods have the advantage that the removal can be made on blood sample processed by ordinary centrifugation and do not require more complicated or costly processing techniques such as density gradient centrifugation.

Modular active surface devices for microfluidic systems and methods of making same is disclosed. In one example, the modular active surface device includes an active surface layer mounted atop an active surface substrate, a mask mounted atop the active surface layer wherein the mask defines the area, height, and volume of the reaction chamber, and a substrate mounted atop the mask wherein the substrate provides the facing surface to the active surface layer. In other examples, both facing surfaces of the reaction chamber include active surface layers. Further, the modular active surface device can include other layers, such as, but not limited to, adhesive layers, stiffening layers for facilitating handling, and peel-off sealing layers. Further, a large-scale manufacturing method is provided of mass-producing the modular active surface devices. Further, a method is provided of using a plasma bonding process to bond the active surface layer to the active surface substrate.

The current invention generally relates to apparatus and method to analyze and separate biological entities, including cells, bacteria and molecules from human blood, body tissue, body fluid and other human related biological samples. The claimed apparatus and method analyze, or detect, biological entities based on optical signals received from said entities by using optical detectors. The claimed apparatus and method further separate biological entities with using micro-actuator activated sorting devices.

The present disclosure provides a device for separating biomolecules comprising a substrate having a planar surface, nanowires disposed on at least a portion of the planar surface, and a fluid chamber formed to include at least a portion of the nanowires.

The present disclosure provides a method of producing uniformly sized organoids/multicellular spheroids using a microfluidic device having an array of microwells. The method involves several successive steps. First, a microfluidic device containing parallel rows of microwells that are connected with a supplying channel is filled with a wetting agent. The wetting agent is a liquid that is immiscible in water. For example, the wetting agent may be an organic liquid such as oil. In the next step, the agent in the supplying channel and the microwells is replaced with a suspension of cells in an aqueous solution that contains a precursor for a hydrogel. Next, the aqueous phase in the supplying channel is replaced with the agent, which leads to the formation of an array of droplets of cell suspension in the hydrogel precursor solution, which were compartmentalized in the wells. The droplets are then transformed into cell-laden hydrogels. Subsequently, the agent in the supplying channel is replaced with the cell culture medium continuously flowing through the microfluidic device and the cells within the hydrogels are transformed into multicellular spheroids.

The present disclosure relates to a sample solution heating apparatus for ex vivo diagnosis, and provided is a sample solution heating apparatus for ex vivo diagnosis, the apparatus: injecting a heating body into a reaction container in which a sample solution is stored and induction-heating the heating body by means of a primary induction coil, so as to directly transfer, through the heating body in the sample solution, heat to the sample solution without additional heat transfer media, thereby minimizing heat loss, and thus can rapidly heat the sample solution so as to enable more rapid diagnosis, and can improve energy efficiency; and induction-heating the heating body inside the reaction container and, simultaneously, rotating same by using magnetic force, so as to perform a stirring function, in addition to a simple heating function, on the sample solution, thereby enabling more rapid and accurate ex vivo diagnosis.

A filter film includes a through-hole and a recessed portion having a size capable of capturing one particle, in which the recessed portion is open to one face of the filter film, the through-hole in the one face has a shape or a size such that the one particle is not capable of passing through the through-hole, and the through-hole and the recessed portion are disposed close to each other.

A method for fabricating a fluidic device includes depositing a sacrificial material on a pillar array arranged on a substrate. The method also includes removing a portion of the sacrificial material. The method further includes depositing a sealing layer on the pillar array to form a sealed fluidic cavity.

The present invention may provide a microfluidic device including a rotatable body; a first chamber positioned in a direction of an inner wall of the body; a second chamber positioned in a direction of an outer wall of the body from the first chamber; and a backflow prevention unit, and wherein a fluid is transferred from the first chamber to the second chamber, and wherein the backflow prevention unit prevents a backflow of the fluid from the second chamber to the first chamber.

A system for testing for an analyte includes a test strip. The test strip includes a first flow path. The test strip further includes a heating element in communication with a heating area of the first flow path, for heating a sample in the first flow path. The test strip further includes an e-gate, the e-gate in the first flow path, the e-gate separating the heating area from a detection area of the first flow path.