An inverted microwell provides rapid and efficient microanalysis system and method for screening of biological particles, particularly functional analysis of cells on a single cell basis. The use of an inverted open microwell system permits identification of particles, cells, and biomolecules that may be combined to produce a desired functional effect also functional screening of secreted antibody therapeutic activity as well as the potential to recover cells and fluid, and optionally expand cells, such as antibody secreting cells, within the same microwell.

A method is provided including coupling magnetic beads to a population of cells in a fluid sample to form magnetically-labeled cells, magnetically separating the magnetically-labeled cells from non-magnetically-labeled cells in the fluid sample, and separating target cells from non-target cells of the magnetically-labeled cells based on a size difference between the magnetically-labeled target cells and the magnetically-labeled non-target cells. A microfluidic device is provided including a fluidic pathway traversing a magnetic isolation region and a size-based isolation region. The magnetic isolation region includes a magnet positioned to separate magnetically-labeled cells from non-magnetically labeled cells in the magnetic isolation region. The size-based isolation region includes a separator configured to separate cells less than a threshold size from cells greater than a threshold size.

The present invention is directed towards an apparatus and methods for a precise, fast and easy to use manipulation of beads. This method is particularly useful to carry out separation between the beads and the remaining supernants present in the fluid, maximizing the collection and purification efficiencies in tips for liquid handling.

Methods of concentrating beads in a droplet and/or loading beads on a fluidic device are provided, including among other things, a method of concentrating beads in a droplet, the method comprising: (a) providing a droplet actuator comprising: (i) an interior droplet operations volume; and (ii) a reservoir exterior to the interior volume; (iii) a droplet established in a liquid path extending from the reservoir into the interior volume; (b) providing magnetically responsive beads in the portion of the droplet which is in the reservoir; (c) magnetically attracting the magnetically responsive beads through the liquid path into the portion of the droplet which is in the interior volume; and (d) forming a droplet comprising one or more of the magnetically responsive beads in the interior volume.

Disclosed are magnetic nanoparticles and methods of using magnetic nanoparticles for selectively removing biologics, small molecules, analytes, ions, or other molecules of interest from liquids.

Methods of making and using a magnetic ECM are disclosed. The ECM comprises positively and negatively charged nanoparticles, wherein one of said nanoparticles contains a magnetically responsive element. When the magnetic ECM is seeded with cells, the cells will be magnetized and can be levitated for 3-D cell culture.

Microfluidic device having a plurality of microfluidic channels and corresponding dielectrophoresis (DEP) electrode arrays, each channel arranged to direct fluid over a DEP electrode array such that in use target particles are manipulated by the DEP electrode array. The device also has a first connection point and second connection point for connecting the device to an alternating current source, a first input of each DEP electrode array connected to the first connection point via the first conductor and second input of each DEP electrode array connected to the second connection point via the second conductor. A resistance of the first conductor between the first input of each electrode and the first connection point, and a resistance of the second conductor between the second input of each electrode and the second connection point is substantially at least an order of magnitude less than a total resistance of the connected electrode arrays.

A method and apparatus for removing magnetic beads together with molecular targets of interest from a fluid is described. A consumable bead collection probe is placed in a vessel containing magnetic beads suspended in the fluid. A magnet outside the vessel concentrates magnetic beads on a surface of the collection probe so they may be manipulated in and out of vessels during washing or processing steps without transferring the fluid into or out of a vessel. In a further embodiment, a vibrational source is attached to the collection probe such that, in combination with the magnet in a position external to the vessel, beads may be washed without releasing them from the collection probe.

Systems, devices and methods for automatic magnetic separation of magnetized targets in a biological sample are herein disclosed, where they comprise a magnetic field shield/barrier controllably operable to control the magnetic field in terms of reaching and attracting the magnetized targets within the biological sample.

A method for operating and diagnosing faults in a laboratory instrument comprising a plurality of subsystems may comprise performing an analytic sequence and a set of diagnostic steps. Such a method may be performed using a diagnostic reagent comprising paramagnetic particles and lacking an antibody component. Such a method may also include evaluating a set of the instrument's subsystems in the opposite of the order in which those subsystems are used during analysis.