Provided herein are vial caps for use with assay vials, tubes, or plates. The vial caps can be compatible with various analytic devices, for example, thermocycler. The vial caps can be used with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay vials, tubes, or plates in any thermocycling reactions. The vial caps described herein can prevent evaporation during thermocycling reactions.

A test apparatus for a test using a test solution containing a sample with the use of a microchannel device is provided. The test apparatus includes a pressure application unit that is connected to a first opening and applies an air pressure to inject the test solution into a microchannel, an opening and closing unit that switches between opening and closing of a second opening, and a controller that controls the pressure application unit and the opening and closing unit. The controller controls the opening and closing unit to close the second opening, controls the pressure application unit to inject the test solution into the microchannel, controls the opening and closing unit to open the second opening after the test solution is injected into the microchannel, and controls the pressure application unit to apply an air pressure to collect in a collection portion, the test solution in a branch channel.

Systems and methods relating thereto for detecting target analytes, using hand-held detection devices and compression mechanisms, are described. An exemplar hand-held detection device includes a cartridge inlet and a cartridge stage for securing cartridge containing the sample including the target-analyte. The device further comprises a compression assembly including a pressing surface. In an open state of the compression assembly, the pressing surface is released, displacing away from the cartridge stage, and thereby allowing a cartridge inlet to provide access to an unobstructed loading path for the cartridge to be secured on the cartridge stage. Upon receiving an external pressing force on the pressing surface, the compression assembly is designed to acquire a compressed state, in which the pressing surface displaces towards the cartridge stage and the compression assembly seals off the cartridge present inside the cartridge stage from an environment around the cartridge stage.

Multi-stage sample-recovery systems, including automated 2-stage and 3-stage sample-recovery systems, are provided. Such systems enable the rapid screening and recovery of samples, including viable cell-based samples, from high-throughput screening systems, including systems utilizing large-scale arrays of microcapillaries. In specific screening systems, each microcapillary comprises a solution containing a variant protein, an immobilized target molecule, and a reporter element. Immobilized target molecules may include any molecule of interest, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and other biomolecules. The association of a variant protein with a molecular target is assessed by measuring a signal from the reporter element. The contents of microcapillaries identified in the assays as containing variant proteins of interest can be identified and recovered using the multi-stage systems disclosed herein.

A microfluidic cartridge, configured to facilitate processing and detection of nucleic acids, comprising: a top layer comprising a set of cartridge-aligning indentations, a set of sample port-reagent port pairs, a shared fluid port, a vent region, a heating region, and a set of Detection chambers; an intermediate substrate, coupled to the top layer comprising a waste chamber; an elastomeric layer, partially situated on the intermediate substrate; and a set of fluidic pathways, each formed by at least a portion of the top layer and a portion of the elastomeric layer, wherein each fluidic pathway is fluidically coupled to a sample port-reagent port pair, the shared fluid port, and a Detection chamber, comprises a turnabout portion passing through the heating region, and is configured to be occluded upon deformation of the elastomeric layer, to transfer a waste fluid to the waste chamber, and to pass through the vent region.

There is provided a microfluidic device comprising: a plurality of wells, each well comprising one opening to function as an inlet and an outlet for the well, wherein each opening is in fluid communication with a common fluidic channel, and wherein each opening is connected to the common fluidic channel via an isolation channel, and wherein the plurality of wells is arranged on the device in a radially symmetrical pattern. There is also provided a system and method comprising the device.

The present technology provides for a microfluidic substrate configured to carry out PCR on a number of polynucleotide-containing samples in parallel. The substrate can be a single-layer substrate in a microfluidic cartridge. Also provided are a method of making a microfluidic cartridge comprising such a substrate. Still further disclosed are a microfluidic valve suitable for use in isolating a PCR chamber in a microfluidic substrate, and a method of making such a valve.

The present invention relates to a micro chamber plate, and more particularly, to a micro chamber plate having micro chamber holes formed using a flowable film. Thus, samples can be injected into the micro chamber holes in a smoother manner compared to when samples are injected using a vacuum and/or centrifugal force. In addition, bubbles and excess samples in the micro chamber holes can be efficiently discharged, making it possible to perform reaction and analysis in a more accurate and efficient manner.

A cartridge for polymerase chain reaction, PCR, comprises a vessel for PCR having an opening and a resealable membrane arranged, in use, to cover the opening of the vessel such that the opening of the vessel is vapour tight.

There is provided a method of detecting a microscopic body stored in a plurality of receptacles formed separately from each other. The method, which is provided as a technique for enclosing a to-be-detected substance such as nucleic acid, protein, virus, and cell by means of a simple operation in droplets of an extremely small volume and enabling highly sensitive detection, includes the steps of (1) introducing a solvent into a space between a lower layer part in which the receptacles are formed and an upper layer part facing a surface of the lower layer part in which surface the receptacles are formed, wherein the solvent contains the microscopic body; (2) introducing gas into the space to form a droplet of the solvent in the receptacles, wherein the droplet contains the microscopic body; and (3) detecting the microscopic body present in the droplet optically, electrically, and/or magnetically.