The present invention is directed generally to devices and methods for manipulating laboratory pipettes in a programmable manner. The present invention is directed to an apparatus and methods for allowing a user to instruct the device to perform a specific process; identifying the type, location and identity of the consumables to be used; manipulating a plurality of pipettes for performing the liquid handling; monitoring the process during and after its execution; generating a detailed report for the plurality of actions. Other aspects of this invention include optimization of the liquid dispensing performances of a pipette; monitoring and controlling individual actions by means of vision; virtualization of the protocol definition by means of a reality augmented software interface; integration of the system in a conventional laboratory environment workflow.

The efficiency of polymer synthesis is increased by reducing the number of monomer addition cycles needed to create a set of polymer strands. The number of cycles depends on the sequences of the polymer strands and the order in which each type of monomer is made available for addition to the growing strands. Efficiencies are created by grouping the polymer strands into batches such that all the strands in a batch require a similar number of cycles to synthesize. Efficiencies are also created by selecting an order in which the monomers are made available for addition to the growing polymer strands in a batch. Both techniques can be used together. With these techniques, the number of cycles of monomer addition and commensurate reagent use may be reduced by over 10% as compared to nave synthesis techniques.

A synthesis device comprises a plurality of pipes, a feeding unit, a reaction vessel, and a measurement mechanism. The pipes extend from a plurality of storage containers, respectively, in which a plurality of types of solutions are stored. The feeding unit is configured to feed the solutions in the storage containers through the pipes. The solutions selectively fed from the storage containers are put in the reaction vessel to generate a synthesized product by chemical synthesis. The measuring mechanism is provided between the storage containers and the reaction vessel in a middle of an overall flow path including the pipes, the measuring mechanism being configured to measure the solutions fed to the reaction vessel.

Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses used for reaction screening and optimization purposes. An example apparatus includes a plurality of reaction vessels, a dispensing subsystem, at least one reactor module, an analysis subsystem, an automation subsystem, and control circuitry. The dispensing subsystem delivers reagents to the plurality of reaction vessels for a plurality of reaction mixtures having varied reaction conditions. The at least one reactor module drives a plurality of reactions within the plurality of reaction vessels. The analysis subsystem analyzes compositions contained in the plurality of reaction vessels. The automation subsystem selectively moves the plurality of reaction vessels from a location proximal to the dispensing subsystem to the at least one reactor module based on experimental design parameters. And, the control circuitry identifies optimum reaction conditions for a target end product based on the analysis.

A continuous flow reactor, a method of performing a continuous flow reaction, and a method of controlling a moveable wall of a reaction chamber of a continuous flow reactor. The reactor comprising: an inlet; an outlet; and a reaction chamber, between the inlet and the outlet and providing a flow path therebetween, the reaction chamber having a moveable wall; the reactor further comprising: a pressure sensor configured to monitor a fluid pressure in the continuous flow reactor; and a controller, operable to adjust the position of the moveable wall, and thereby change a volume of the reaction chamber, based on the monitored fluid pressure.

A method for synthesizing a nucleic acid includes synthesizing one or more nucleic acid fragments on a substrate. The synthesized one or more nucleic acid fragments may be amplified on the substrate. The method also includes sequencing the synthesized or amplified one or more nucleic acid fragments on the substrate. The sequencing may provide feedback to designs of the one or more nucleic acid fragments. The method further includes harvesting the synthesized or amplified one or more nucleic acid fragments based on sequencing. The synthesized or amplified one or more nucleic acid fragments may be assembled to generate a target nucleic acid.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus and a method for catalytic conversion of chemical substances in the presence of pulverulent catalysts in a trickle bed reactor with residence times in the range of 0.1-10 seconds, wherein the apparatus includes a trickle bed reactor (2), the inlet side of which is functionally connected to a catalyst reservoir vessel (1) and a reactant feed, and the outlet side of which is functionally connected to a separator (3). The separator (3) has an exit conduit for leading off product stream, wherein the apparatus has the characteristic feature that the exit conduit disposed on the separator (3) for leading off product stream has a continuously acting valve connected via a controller to a pressure measurement sensor, wherein the continuously acting valve and the pressure measurement sensor form a pressure control circuit with a controller.

Apparatus and methods for using a flow cell array are provided herein. A method includes delivering multiple items of chemical matter independently to multiple reaction sites of a flow cell array across multiple distinct instances of time; imaging multiple parallel chemical reactions at the multiple reaction sites of the flow cell array; and recording an emission from each of the multiple chemical reactions site.

Apparatus and methods for using a flow cell array are provided herein. A method includes determining placement of multiple reaction site openings, wherein each reaction site opening is connected to a first sub-surface channel; connecting the first sub-surface channel to two or more additional sub-surface channels by multiple vias; and providing a material for multiple reaction sites, wherein an overlap of the multiple reaction site openings and the material delineate the multiple reaction sites.

A method for synthesizing a nucleic acid includes synthesizing one or more nucleic acid fragments on a substrate. The synthesized one or more nucleic acid fragments may be amplified on the substrate. The method also includes sequencing the synthesized or amplified one or more nucleic acid fragments on the substrate. The sequencing may provide feedback to designs of the one or more nucleic acid fragments. The method further includes harvesting the synthesized or amplified one or more nucleic acid fragments based on sequencing. The synthesized or amplified one or more nucleic acid fragments may be assembled to generate a target nucleic acid.