The present invention relates to methods and systems that result in high quality, reproducible, thermal melt analysis on a microfluidic platform. The present invention relates to methods and systems using thermal systems including heat spreading devices, including interconnection methods and materials developed to connect heat spreaders to microfluidic devices. The present invention also relates to methods and systems for controlling, measuring, and calibrating the thermal systems of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a method for the sensitive identification of high-affinity complexes made of two ligands (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) and one receptor (1). A large number of different ligands (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) of a chemical library are hereby contacted with at least one receptor (1) in a solution. The ligands of the library have a single-strand DNA (8, 9) or RNA with a base length of 2 to 10 bases or alternatively more than 10 bases. In addition, the solution is incubated for a specific period of time and complexes made of two ligands (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) and one receptor (1) are identified.

Microfluidic devices and methods for investigating crystallization and/or for controlling a reaction or a phase transition are disclosed. In one embodiment, the microfluidic device includes a reservoir layer; a membrane disposed on the reservoir layer; a wetting control layer disposed on the membrane; and a storage layer disposed on the wetting control layer, wherein the wetting control layer and the storage layer define a microfluidic channel comprising an upstream portion, a downstream portion, a first fluid path in communication with the upstream and the downstream portions, and a storage well positioned within the first fluid path, wherein the wetting control layer includes a fluid passageway in communication with the storage well and the membrane, and wherein the wetting control layer wets a first fluid introduced into the microfluidic channel, the first fluid comprising a hydrophilic, lipophilic, fluorophilic or gas phase as the continuous phase in the microfluidic channel.

Provided a thermal cycler. In a case in which plurality of heat sinks participate in thermal control of a plurality of thermally independent sample holders for reliable nucleic acid reactions of the plurality of sample holder, a barrier is present between the adjacent heat sinks.

A lyophilization nest and method of using the same is described herein. In various embodiments, the lyophilization nest includes a base and first and second covers and is configured to support one or more receptacles each supporting one or more substances within interior spaces of the lyophilization nest. The interior spaces may be in fluid communication with the exterior of the lyophilization nest through one or more vent holes extending through the first and second covers. Each of the one or more vent holes have a corresponding sealing element configured to selectively form an air-tight seal within the vent holes, such that a controlled environment may be maintained within the interior spaces when the ambient conditions surrounding the lyophilization nest are not lyophilization conditions. The one or more sealing elements may be operable while the lyophilization nest is positioned within a sealed lyophilizer by depressing the sealing elements into corresponding vent holes to form the air-tight seal.

A method for of validating the identity of one of more component(s) in a substance including: obtaining a substance; placing the substance in a plenum with a sealed bottom; exposing the substance to a perturbation; digitally recoding the time-dependent changes in the substance after exposing the substance to the perturbation; producing a chronological fingerprint of the changes, where the chronological fingerprint is a digital multi-dimensional image of the changes as a function of time; and comparing the chronological fingerprint to chronological fingerprints for known substances to validate the one or more component(s) in the substance being measured. Also described are associated systems and computer program products for implementing the method.

The present invention relates to a system structure capable of performing real-time detection of nucleic acid extraction and amplification reactions and amplified results in a device for implementing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A PCR system includes a nucleic acid extraction cartridge configured to extract a nucleic acid of a biological sample via a nucleic acid extraction reagent stored therein and form a PCR preliminary mixture by being additionally mixed with a polymerase reaction dried product, a PCR plate inserted into the nucleic acid extraction cartridge, having a channel coupled to the nucleic acid extraction cartridge, and receives a nucleic acid solution or the PCR preliminary mixture extracted from the nucleic acid extraction cartridge and diversely accommodates a PCR reaction dried product containing a dried primer/probe or a primer/probe in at least one reaction well, a temperature control module disposed above the PCR plate 200 and including a pair of heating blocks 310 and 320 adjacent to the reaction well (W) to apply different temperatures, and a scanning module scanning a concentration of a reactant amplified in the reaction well (W).

The present disclosure provides a HTP microbial genomic engineering platform that is computationally driven and integrates molecular biology, automation, and advanced machine learning protocols. This integrative platform utilizes a suite of HTP molecular tool sets to create HTP genetic design libraries, which are derived from, inter alia, scientific insight and iterative pattern recognition. The HTP genomic engineering platform described herein is microbial strain host agnostic and therefore can be implemented across taxa. Furthermore, the disclosed platform can be implemented to modulate or improve any microbial host parameter of interest.

Provided a thermal cycler including a thermal block housing comprising a thermal block accommodating a reaction vessel and a temperature control portion for controlling a temperature of the thermal block, a support frame provided at the lower side of the thermal block housing, and at least one damping module comprising a fastening member coupled to the thermal block housing and the support frame and an elastic member provided between the thermal block housing and the support frame and elastically supporting the thermal block housing while spaced apart from the support frame.

Disclosed herein are microfluidic devices and methods to deliver concentration gradients to biological material such as oocytes and embryos for the purpose of cryopreparation, cryopreservation, or thawing. Cryopreservation methods, such as vitrification, involve the use of cryoprotectants to reduce formation of damaging ice crystals in cells during freezing. Microfluidic devices and methods described herein improve cell viability and efficiency during handling and cryopreservation of biological materials.