The present invention relates to a method for the diagnosis of a disease comprising contacting a donor tissue section with a liquid capable of extracting an antibody from said donor tissue section and contacting said liquid with an acceptor material comprising an antigen, followed by detection of a complex comprising the antibody and the antigen, and a diagnostically useful carrier comprising a donor tissue section and an acceptor material comprising an antigen.

A lab-on-chip type system, capable of identifying antibiotic sensitivity at the point of care of patients, especially in rural areas, clinics, hospitals that do not have care 24/7, hospitals with low level of equipment, among others, from the extraction of a sample, comprising a micro device or medical base device and a dispenser, wherein said micro device comprises a plurality of microwells, arranged in a circular fashion on one of the faces of the micro device, and wherein the micro-dispenser comprises a central plunger for taking and supplying the sample, a chamber for storage and distribution of the sample and a plurality of microdispensers arranged in a circular manner through which the sample is introduced into the microwells of the micro device.

Systems and methods for automated sample preparation and processing of protein corona are described herein, as well as its application in the discovery of advanced diagnostic tools as well as therapeutic agents.

Methods of transferring material from a first device having an array of microwells to a second device is provided. In some examples, the first device and the second device are moved together toward a stopper plate and impinge on the stopper plate. In other examples, the first device and the second device are kept stationary and an impinging device is impacted on a mounting structure enclosing the first and second devices, causing material transfer from the microwells of the first device to the second device. Apparatus for carrying out the transfer of material is also disclosed.

Techniques are described for reducing the number of angles needed in structured illumination imaging of biological samples through the use of patterned flowcells, where nanowells of the patterned flowcells are arranged in, e.g., a square array, or an asymmetrical array. Accordingly, the number of images needed to resolve details of the biological samples is reduced. Techniques are also described for combining structured illumination imaging with line scanning using the patterned flowcells.

Magnetic beads having cell components of interest are translated between a sequence of processing wells in a tray without need for pipetting. The circular tray contains one or more sequences of wells each interconnected by a respective channel. The tray is rotated about a central axis and a magnet, an agitator, and a heater provided external to the tray enable magnetic bead translation, mixing, and incubation, respectively. The magnet proximate a well forms a cluster of beads. Manipulation of the tray in rotation and elevation results in translation of the cluster from one well, through a channel, and into an adjacent well. The well containing a cluster may be rotationally positioned in front of the agitator, the agitator extended into contact with the well, followed by mechanical agitation. The heater, disposed beneath the tray, may accept a well lowered thereto for selective heating.

A method and microfluidic device are provided for containing a droplet having an outer surface at a predetermined location. The microfluidic device includes a plate having an upper surface and a central region communicating with the upper surface. The central region is adapted for receiving a droplet of fluid thereon. The central region includes an outer periphery that defines a first fluid constraint configured for discouraging fluid on the central region from flowing therepast. A second fluid constraint extends about the first fluid constraint. The second fluid constraint is configured for discouraging fluid flowing therepast. A third fluid constraint extends about the second fluid constraint. The third fluid constraint configured for discouraging fluid flowing therepast.

The present invention relates to a method for real-time measurement of the secretion of at least one compound by at least one individual cell, comprising: the culturing, in a liquid medium, of at least one cell in a culture chamber, at least one wall of which comprises at least one sensitive area, a sensitive area comprising a plurality of ligands, attached to a solid support, each ligand being able to bind specifically to the compound, and an element for real-time transduction of a signal produced by the binding of the compound to one of the ligands; the identification, in a sensitive area, of at least one spot producing a signal; the real-time measurement of the signal produced by the spot identified, representing the amount of compound secreted by an individual cell.

The cell transfer device includes a head group including a plurality of heads to which tips are attached and which move along a first direction; a head unit in which the head group is installed and which moves in a second direction and in a third direction; and a plurality of drive motors which are mounted on the head unit and which generate driving force to cause the head to move along the first direction. The plurality of drive motors are separately arranged on one side and the other side in the third direction with the head group provided therebetween. The head group includes a first head and a second head. The first head is driven by the drive motor arranged on the one side in the third direction, and the second head is driven by the drive motor arranged on the other side in the third direction.

A cover for a drug container piston array includes a plurality of cover sections configured for positioning over the drug container piston array. Each cover section includes an elongated cover section body having an open base end and a closed capped end, and a plurality of base sections or a web positioned between the plurality of cover sections and coupled to each base end. Packaging assemblies including a cover and a piston nest are also disclosed.