Disclosed herein is an improved method for magnetic capture of target molecules (e.g., microbes) in a fluid. Kits and solid substrates for carrying the method described herein are also provided. In some embodiments, the methods, kits, and solid substrates described herein are optimized for separation and/or detection of microbes and microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP) (including, e.g., but not limited to, a cell component of microbes, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and/or endotoxin).

Methods of sorting T lymphocytes in a microfluidic device are provided. The methods can include flowing a fluid sample comprising T lymphocytes through a region of a microfluidic device that contains an array of posts. The array of posts can be configured to have a critical size (D.sub.c) that separates activated T lymphocytes from naïve T lymphocytes. Also provided are microfluidic devices having an array of posts configured to separate activated T lymphocytes from naïve T lymphocytes, compositions enriched for T lymphocytes, particularly activated T lymphocytes that are known to be reactive to an antigen of interest, and methods of treating subjects suffering from a pathogenic disorder or cancer by administering such compositions.

The present invention relates to a particle manipulation method to disperse magnetic particles 70 in a liquid 35 filling up a tube container 10, wherein a circumferential direction moving step to move the magnetic particles 70 along the circumferential direction of the container 10 in the liquid 35 and in a radial direction moving step to move the magnetic particles 70 as crossing the radial direction of the container 10 in the liquid 35 are implemented repeatedly. Such manipulations can be achieved by combining rotation of the container and gravity force and magnetic field manipulations.

Methods for fabricating a biochip for detecting or sequencing biomolecules are shown. Such a biochip may for instance include: a base member; a dielectric layer deposited on the base member and having at least two rows of discrete recesses formed thereon; and two or more electrodes sandwiched between the base member and the dielectric layer and running under respective row of discrete recesses, the two or more electrodes separated from each other along lengths thereof by a portion of the dielectric layer; wherein the dielectric layer defines a continuous operation surface above the electrodes and on which the discrete recesses are deposited for detecting or sequencing of biomolecules, when an electric field is applied through the electrodes, a field gradient is created to draw a biomolecule towards a preferred part of the operation surface.

There is described herein methods and devices for confining and/or manipulating molecules. At least one molecule is introduced into a fluidic chamber. The fluidic chamber is formed inside a device comprising at least one first electrode having a first surface spaced from at least one second electrode having a second surface facing the first surface. The at least one second electrode has a plurality of dielectric structures arranged to form openings along the second surface. At least one electrical signal is applied across the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode to generate a non-uniform electric field having electric field lines extending from the first surface of the at least one first electrode to the second surface of the at least one second electrode in the openings formed between the dielectric structures. The at least one electrical signal has a frequency level causing the at least one molecule to move inside the fluidic chamber in accordance with a predetermined movement.

An inclined magnetic holder comprises a magnetic base and a centrifuge tube support plate. The centrifuge tube support plate has centrifuge tube support holes. The magnetic base comprises a first bottom plate, a fixing plate, and two first-side support plates. Respective top portions of the two first-side support plates are provided with a position-locating slot. Two ends of the centrifuge tube support plate are respectively provided with a position-locating protruding block. The centrifuge tube support holes are evenly and linearly distributed on the centrifuge tube support plate. An elastic circular engagement component for holding a centrifuge tube is provided inside the centrifuge tube support holes. A block magnet is fixed to the fixing plate below and corresponding to each of the centrifuge tube support holes. A north pole or south pole surface of the block magnet faces the centrifuge tube and is parallel to an axis of the centrifuge tube.

The present disclosure relates to, inter alia, devices, systems, and methods for use in the magnetic separation of biological entities from fluid samples. This device includes a magnetic separation chamber configured to receive a fluid sample for magnetic separation, where the magnetic separation chamber includes at least two magnets mounted on the surface or in the wall of the magnetic separation chamber. The device also includes a force provider configured to move the magnetic separation chamber in a side-to-side motion to mix and/or magnetize the fluid sample. In one embodiment, the magnetic separation chamber is in a form of a sleeve and comprises a substantially central channel for loading a vessel containing the fluid sample therein. The systems and methods of the present disclosure involve the use of this device to separate biological entities from fluid samples.

Disclosed herein is a novel method to fabricate magnetic silica nanomembranes using thin polymer cores based on silica deposition and self-wrinkling induced by thermal shrinkage. These micro- and nano-scale structures have vastly enlarged the specific area of silica, thus the magnetic silica nanomembranes can be used for solid phase extraction of nucleic acids. The magnetic silica nanomembranes are suitable for nucleic acid purification and isolation and demonstrated better performance than commercial particles in terms of nucleic acid recovery yield and integrity. In addition, the magnetic silica nanomembranes may have high nucleic acid capacity due to significantly enlarged specific surface area of silica. Methods of use and devices comprising the magnetic silica nanomembranes are also provided herein.

Microfluidic systems and methods are described for capturing magnetic target entities bound to one or more magnetic beads. The systems include a well array device that includes a substrate with a surface that has a plurality of wells arranged in one or more arrays on the surface. A first array of wells is arranged adjacent to a first location on the surface. A second and subsequent arrays, if present, are arranged sequentially on the surface at second and subsequent locations. When a liquid sample is added onto the substrate and caused to flow, the liquid sample will flow across the first array first and then flow across the second and subsequent arrays in sequential order. The wells in the first array each have a size that permits entry of only one target entity into the well and each well in the first array has approximately the same size.

A method for magnetic cellular manipulation may include contacting a composition with a biological sample to form a mixture. The composition may include a plurality of particles. Each particle in the plurality of particles may include a magnetic substrate. The magnetic substrate may be characterized by a magnetic susceptibility greater than zero. The composition may also include a chargeable silicon-containing compound. The chargeable silicon-containing compound may coat at least a portion of the magnetic substrate. The biological sample may include cells and/or cellular structures. The method may also include applying a magnetic field to the mixture to manipulate the composition.