Disclosed herein are devices comprising: a sample conduit providing a path for fluid flow extending from a sample inlet to a sample outlet; a thermal housing enclosing the sample conduit, wherein the thermal housing comprises a plurality of measurement regions; and a motorized stage translatable along the thermal housing from a first location to a second location so as to align a detector with one or more of the plurality of measurement regions. Also disclosed are methods of use of the devices described herein.

System, including methods, apparatus, compositions, and kits, for the mixing of small volumes of fluid by coalescence of multiple emulsions.

The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

The present invention provides novel microfluidic devices and methods that are useful for performing high-throughput screening assays and combinatorial chemistry. The invention provides for aqueous based emulsions containing uniquely labeled cells, enzymes, nucleic acids, etc., wherein the emulsions further comprise primers, labels, probes, and other reactants. An oil based carrier-fluid envelopes the emulsion library on a microfluidic device, such that a continuous channel provides for flow of the immiscible fluids, to accomplish pooling, coalescing, mixing, sorting, detection, etc., of the emulsion library.

A sample loader for loading a liquid sample into a plurality of reaction sites within a substrate is provided. The sample loader includes a first blade, and a second blade coupled to the first blade. The sample loader further comprises a flow path between the first blade and second blade configured to dispense a liquid sample to a substrate including a plurality of reaction sites. Further, in various embodiments the liquid sample has an advancing contact angle of 85+/15 degrees with the first and second blade. Furthermore, loading of the liquid sample dispensed from the flow path to the plurality of reaction sites may be based on capillary action.

An apparatus for biological reactions is provided. The apparatus includes a substrate and a plurality of reaction sites within the substrate. A surface of the substrate is configured to have a first hydrophilicity and each surface of the plurality of reaction sites is configured to have a second hydrophilicity to load a substantial number of reaction sites with a sample volume. The sample volume of each loaded reaction site is substantially confined to its respective reaction site. The sample volume is configured to undergo a biological reaction within the reaction site.

The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

The invention generally relates to methods for quantifying an amount of enzyme molecules. Systems and methods of the invention are provided for measuring an amount of target by forming a plurality of fluid partitions, a subset of which include the target, performing an enzyme-catalyzed reaction in the subset, and detecting the number of partitions in the subset. The amount of target can be determined based on the detected number.

The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.