A device for detecting nucleic acids in a biological sample has a sample port, a lysis station and a sample conduit configured to mix a sample and lysis agent to form a sample-lysis mixture, pass the sample-lysis mixture across a solid-state membrane to capture nucleic acids in the biological sample therein, and receive the remainder of the sample-lysis mixture in a waste chamber. The wash station is configured to introduce the wash solution following the sample-lysis mixture, pass the wash solution across the solid-state membrane to purify nucleic acids captured therein, and receive the wash solution from the solid-state membrane in the waste chamber. The elution station is configured to pass the eluent across the solid-state membrane, elute captured nucleic acids from the solid-state membrane, and pass the captured nucleic acids into one or more reaction chambers for amplifying and detecting the captured nucleic acids.

A sample collection device having a sample container, a solid phase binding material, and a container sealing component is presented. The sample container may have a housing that forms an opening for receiving a sample, and that encloses a space for holding the sample. The solid phase binding material may be disposed within the space enclosed by the housing of the sample container and may be adapted, when the sample contains an analyte, to bind specifically to the analyte. The container sealing component may be removably attachable to the sample container at the opening thereof, and may be adapted, when attached to the sample container, to form a seal around the opening of the sample container.

Methods, systems and devices that allow independently applied pressures to a BGE reservoir and a sample reservoir for pressure-driven injection that can inject a discrete sample plug into a separation channel that does not require voltage applied to the sample reservoir and can allow for in-channel focusing methods to be used. The methods, systems and devices are particularly suitable for use with a mass spectrometer.

A fluidic device (1) configured to drive movement of fluid under centrifugal force comprises a central region about a central rotational axis (X) of the device and a peripheral region extending radially outwards from the central region. A fluid reservoir (4) provided in the central region of the device receives a fluid sample and communicates with at least one fluidic system (6), which extends radially outwards from the fluid reservoir (4) into the peripheral region of the device. Each fluidic system (6) comprises a fluid analysis chamber (12) configured to retain a portion of a fluid sample for analysis. A fluidic channel arrangement (26) is configured to enable fluid communication between the fluid reservoir (4) and the fluid analysis chamber (12), and movement of the fluid sample through the fluidic channel arrangement is driven by the centrifugal force created by rotational motion of the device about the central rotational axis (X). A valve mechanism (8) is arranged between the fluid reservoir (4) and the analysis chamber (12) and is configured to prevent fluid flow through that portion of the fluidic channel arrangement (26) when the speed of rotation of the device is less than a predetermined value. A cut-out portion of the device (24) may help to correctly locate the fluidic device (1) within an assay apparatus. An apparatus for driving rotational motion of the fluidic device and a method for moving a fluid sample within the fluidic device are also described.

A system and method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a set of biological samples, comprising: a capture plate and a capture plate module configured to facilitate binding of nucleic acids within the set of biological samples to magnetic beads; a molecular diagnostic module configured to receive nucleic acids bound to magnetic beads, isolate nucleic acids, and analyze nucleic acids, comprising a cartridge receiving module, a heating/cooling subsystem and a magnet configured to facilitate isolation of nucleic acids, a valve actuation subsystem configured to control fluid flow through a microfluidic cartridge for processing nucleic acids, and an optical subsystem for analysis of nucleic acids; a fluid handling system configured to deliver samples and reagents to components of the system to facilitate molecular diagnostic protocols; and an assay strip configured to combine nucleic acid samples with molecular diagnostic reagents for analysis of nucleic acids.

The invention concerns a filtration assembly (1) for microbiological testing and a method of using the filtration assembly for that purpose. The filtration assembly (1) comprises a ring-like membrane support (10) holding a filtration membrane (11), a cylindrical reservoir (20) of which opposite axial ends have openings and one axial opening is removably and fluid-tightly attachable to the membrane support (10) to define a sample volume adjacent to the filtration membrane (11) on one axial side of the membrane support (10); and a drain member (30) removably and fluid tightly attachable to the membrane support (10) to define a drain channel space adjacent to the filtration membrane (11) on an opposite axial side of the membrane support (10).

A centrifugal microfluidic technique for heat treating emulsion-divided independent reaction volumes (IRVs) within a centrifugal microfluidic chip, and displacing the emulsion into a monolayer presentation chamber (pc) for imaging. A deep treatment chamber (tc) is provided for the heat treatment, a nozzle having a hydrodynamic radius for forming the IRVs is provided for injecting a sample for the IRVs into the tc filled with a dense immiscible medium. The tc is adjacent a heat controlled element for collectively heat treating the IRVs within the tc, where the IRVs form a 3d packing arrangement. The tc is coupled to a presentation chamber (pc) by an opening through which the IRVs can be selectively displaced without collapsing. The pc is adjacent a window transparent to a wavelength for inspecting the pc.

Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids, fluid components, and reactions are provided. In one aspect, such structures and methods can allow production of droplets of a precise volume, which can be stored/maintained at precise regions of the device. In another aspect, microfluidic structures and methods described herein are designed for containing and positioning components in an arrangement such that the components can be manipulated and then tracked even after manipulation. For example, cells may be constrained in an arrangement in microfluidic structures described herein to facilitate tracking during their growth and/or after they multiply.

The disclosure describes an integrated fluid sample test strip comprising: an inlet for receiving solutions comprising a fluid sample and a substrate solution, the inlet comprising a retention valve for temporarily retaining each solution to thereby reduce air flow through the valve; a reaction chamber to receive the solutions via the retention valve, the chamber functionalized with bioreceptor(s); a capillary pump to receive from the reaction chamber the solution(s), the pump comprising vent hole(s); a test chamber to receive the substrate solution from the reaction chamber, the test chamber comprising test electrodes for a biosensing test of the substrate solution; a hydrophobic vent hole coupled to the test chamber to allow a flow of solution from the reaction chamber into the test chamber when the vent hole is unsealed and to allow a flow of solution from the reaction chamber to the capillary pump when the vent hole is sealed.

Reusable network of spatially-multiplexed microfliuidic channels each including an inlet, an outlet, and a cuvette in-between. Individual channels may operationally share a main or common output channel defining the network output and optionally leading to a disposable storage volume. Alternatively, multiple channels are structured to individually lead to the storage volume. An individual cuvette is dimensioned to substantially prevent the formation of air-bubbles during the fluid sample flow through the cuvette and, therefore, to be fully filled and fully emptied. The overall channel network is configured to spatially lock the fluidic sample by pressing such sample with a second fluid against a closed to substantially immobilize it to prevent drifting due to the change in ambient conditions during the measurement. Thereafter, the fluidic sample is flushed through the now-opened valve with continually-applied pressure of the second fluid. System and method for photometric measurements of multiple fluid samples employing such network of channels.