A single junction sorter for a microfluidic particle sorter, the single-junction sorter comprising: an input channel, configured to receive a fluid containing particles; an output sort channel and an output waste channel, each connected to the input channel for receiving the fluid therefrom; a bubble generator, operable to selectively displace the fluid around a particle to be sorted and thereby to create a transient flow of the fluid in the input channel; and a vortex element, configured to cause a vortex in the transient flow in order to direct the particle to be sorted into the output sort channel.

An exemplary mobile impedance-based flow cytometer is developed for the diagnosis of sickle cell disease. The mobile cytometer may be controlled by a computer (e.g., smartphone) application. Calibration of the portable device may be performed using a component of known impedance value. With the developed portable flow cytometer, analysis may be performed on two sickle cell samples and a healthy cell sample. The acquired results may subsequently be analyzed to extract single-cell level impedance information as well as statistics of different cell conditions. Significant differences in cell impedance signals may be observed between sickle cells and normal cells, as well as between sickle cells under hypoxia and normoxia conditions.

An apparatus and method for producing a coated analytic substrate using a compact and portable automated instrument located in the laboratory setting at the point of use which can consistently produce one or a plurality of coated analytic substrates “on demand” for using the analytic substrate immediately after coating, preferably without a step of rinsing the coated analytic substrate before use. The apparatus preferably uses applicator cartridges having a reservoir containing the coating compositions used to form the coatings. Preferably the cartridges are removable and interchangeable to facilitate the production of individual analytic substrates having different coatings or different coating patterns. These coated analytic substrates have superior specimen adhesion characteristics due to the improved quality of the coatings applied by the coating apparatus and due to the quickness with which the coated analytic substrates can be used in the lab after production.

Embodiments of a platelet testing system include an analyzer console device and a blood testing cartridge configured to releasably install into the console device. The cartridge device is configured with one or more measuring chambers and one or more mixing chambers that are fluidically connected within the cartridge device that enable the mixing of saline and a blood sample to a desired dilution. Additionally, the cartridge device is further configured with a cartridge slider that provides a reagent bead to the saline and blood mixture at a desired time. As such, one or more platelet activation assays can be conducted by measuring, through cartridge electrodes of the cartridge device, the detectable changes in platelet activity within the blood and saline mixture.

Described are systems and methods for multi-material printing. The systems and methods can utilize a stereolithographic printing device, a moving stage, and a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device can include a plurality of reservoirs, each reservoir housing a different ink for printing, and a microfluidic chip. The microfluidic chip can include a chamber that comprises a plurality of inlets, a printing region, and one or more outlets as well as an elastic membrane.

A microfluidic system for measuring cell adhesion includes a gas impermeable housing including at least one microchannel defining at least one cell adhesion region, the at least one cell adhesion region being provided with at least one capturing agent that adheres a cell of interest to a surface of the at least one microchannel when a fluid sample containing cells is passed through the at least one microchannel, and an imaging system for measuring the adherence of cells of interest adhered by the at least one capturing agent to the surface of the at least one microchannel when the fluid sample is passed therethrough.

In a method for producing a compound of at least two polymer substrates, two polymer substrates each having a connecting surface are provided. At least one of the polymer substrates is coated with a self-assembling polypeptide, at least in the area of the connecting surface. The two polymer substrates are connected by pressing together the connecting surfaces under pressure and at a temperature corresponding to at least the glass transition temperature of the material of one of the polymer substrates at the connecting surface, wherein a diffusion of polymer chains takes place between the connecting surfaces by the self-assembling polypeptide and a solid connection is formed between the two connecting surfaces. A sealed microfluidic cartridge includes a polymer cartridge and a sealing film connected by such a method.

A solid reagent containment unit is formed by a support; a frame body fixed to the support and delimiting internally, together with the support, an analysis volume; a reagent-adhesion structure within the analysis volume; and at least one reagent cavity, which extends within the reagent-adhesion structure. The reagent-adhesion structure is of an adhesion material embossable at temperatures lower by 6-8° C. than its own melting point and has a melting point such as not to interfere with the analysis. The reagent cavity forms a retention wall, laterally surrounding the reagent cavity, and houses dried reagents. The adhesion material is chosen among wax, such as paraffin, a polymer, such as polycaprolactone, a solid fat, such as cocoa butter, and a gel, such as hydrogel or organogel.

An assembly for forming a microchamber for an inverted substrate is disclosed. The assembly can include a body having a chamber formed therein. A dispensing cavity can be provided to supply a reagent to the chamber. A slide support structure can be configured to support the slide such that the tissue sample faces the chamber when the slide is mounted to the slide support structure. The chamber and the slide support structure can be dimensioned such that, when the reagent is supplied to the dispensing cavity, the reagent is drawn to the chamber by way of capillary forces acting on the reagent.

A cryostat chuck is disclosed. The disclosed chuck may be configured for use in a frozen-sectioning device, such as a cryostat, or other suitable host equipment. The disclosed chuck may include a tab portion configured, in accordance with some embodiments, to provide a means for gripping the chuck by hand (e.g., human or robotic) or by a tool or other desired interfacing element. The tab portion may serve to distance a user's hand or piece of gripping equipment from the sharp microtome of the host cryostat, reducing the opportunity of sustaining bodily injury or equipment damage. Moreover, the tab portion may provide a means by which the cryostat chuck may be manipulated when inserting, adjusting, or removing the chuck prior to, during, or after engagement by the cryostat (or other suitable host equipment).