The invention relates to a process and a device for analysing single molecules, particularly to the parallel analysis of a plurality of single molecules. It is suitable for detecting interactions, e.g. binding between single molecules and/or reactions, e.g. elongation or degradation of single molecules. Particularly, the process of the invention relates to the sequencing of single nucleic acid molecules. The single molecule to be analysed is present in free form, i.e. dissolved or suspended in a liquid medium, within a reaction space formed around the sample spot. According to the present invention, an electrical field is applied across the reaction space, whereby a concentration of single molecules, at the sample spots is effected.

Provided herein are systems, devices and methods for performing multianalyte detection in a biological sample, such as a human blood sample. Multiwell plates useful for performing multianalyte detection are also provided. The systems, devices and methods provided herein relate to the field of direct-to-consumer diagnostics (DTC diagnostics) and are useful, e.g., for facilitating consumer access to consumer healthcare and consumer wellness information. Other uses of the systems, devices and methods provided herein relate to the fields of medical research and drug discovery.

The invention encompasses analyzers and analyzer systems that include a single molecule analyzer, methods of using the analyzer and analyzer systems to analyze samples, either for single molecules or for molecular complexes. The single molecule uses electromagnetic radiation that is translated through the sample to detect the presence or absence of a single molecule. The single molecule analyzer provided herein is useful for diagnostics because the analyzer detects single molecules with zero carryover between samples.

A scanning stage with opposing edges to secure a slide during scanning and guide the slide during unloading. In an embodiment, the system includes a reference edge with a surface facing a first edge of the slide and an opposing edge with a surface facing a second edge of the slide. The opposing edge is controlled by a processor to engage the second edge of the slide and press the first edge of the slide against the reference edge surface. The opposing edge surface is parallel to a side of a slide rack slot into which the slide will be inserted during unloading. The system also includes an assembly having a pull bar configured to pull the glass slide from the scanning stage into the slide rack slot while the first edge of the slide is simultaneously being pressed against the reference edge surface by the opposing edge surface.

A device includes a first container having a floor and walls extending from the floor to an opening opposing the floor. The walls include opposing ledges at an interior of the first container. A second container has a first open end, sides, and a second end opposing the first open end. The second end has at least one hole adapted to receive a biopsy specimen cup. The first and second containers are made from opaque materials. A translucent panel has a notch in an edge thereof. The translucent panel is disposed on the ledges and spans the interior of the first container. The opening of the first container is sized to slidingly receive the second container wherein the first open end of the second container rests on the translucent panel. A light source is disposed in the first container between the translucent panel and the floor of the first container.

A system for nucleic acid amplification of a sample comprises partitioning the sample into partitioned sections and performing PCR on the partitioned sections of the sample. Another embodiment of the invention provides a system for nucleic acid amplification and detection of a sample comprising partitioning the sample into partitioned sections, performing PCR on the partitioned sections of the sample, and detecting and analyzing the partitioned sections of the sample.

Provided is a design method for dividing primer pairs into reaction containers, the design method showing an optimum division example. The design method for dividing primer pairs into reaction containers has a design step of, for a plurality of target nucleic acids, designing a plurality of primer pairs each composed of two types of primers, an evaluation step of evaluating non-specific amplification inducibility between the primer pairs, and an assignment step of performing an assignment to the reaction containers, based on the non-specific amplification inducibility, such that primer pairs having the non-specific amplification inducibility are not present in the same reaction container. The assignment step has a graph generation step of generating a graph having the primer pairs as vertices and non-specific amplification inducibility as an edge or a data structure equivalent to the graph, a coloring step of applying a solution to a graph coloring problem or the like to the graph to perform coloring such that the vertices adjacent to each other have different colors, and an association step of associating the plurality of colors with the reaction containers to associate the primer pair with the reaction containers of the corresponding colors.

A storage system having racks and an outer container that receives the racks, each rack receiving a plurality of sample boxes, each box having a wireless ID tag. In certain embodiments, the storage system has reader electronics external to and distinct from the racks and that directly read the wireless ID tag of each box in at least one rack without relying on any reader electronics of any rack. In other embodiments, each rack has a set of rack reader electronics that read the wireless ID tag of each box in at least one rack, and the storage system has at least one removable reader access device removably connectable to the set of rack reader electronics of a rack in order to transmit the ID number of the wireless ID tag of each box in the rack outside of the outer container.

The present disclosure is directed to rheometric fixtures for making rheological measurements of yield stress fluids. In some embodiments, the fixture can be an improvement of a typical vane by having the ability to create a more homogeneous shear profile in a test material, e.g., a yield stress fluid. These vane fixtures having fractal-like cross-sectional structures enable robust rheological measurements of the properties of yield stress fluids due to several outer contact edges that lead to increased kinematic homogeneity at the point of yielding and beyond. The branching structure of the fractal-like fixtures can alter the shape of a wetted perimeter of the fixture while minimizing an area thereof to allow the fixture to be inserted into fluids with less disturbance. In some embodiments, a cup with a ribbed inner surface can be used to hold the sample fluid and disassembles for ease of cleaning following completion of the measurement.

Systems and methods for associating single cell imaging data with RNA transcriptomics. Single cells are isolated into microwells with a microbead having oligonucleotides conjugated on its surface. Each oligonucleotide includes a cell identifying optical barcode that is unique to that bead and binding sequence for RNA capture after cell lysis. The system is configured for loading single cells into the microarray and for flowing cell lysis buffers and other reagents into the microarray for performing RNA library sample preparation. The system is also configured for lowing optical hybridization probes that are complementary to the cell identifying optical barcodes and optically labeled onto the microwell array and for obtaining images of the microwells in response to the probes. The system and unique cell identifying optical barcodes and complementary optical hybridization probes facilitate a link between phenotypic imaging of cells resident on the microwell array with single cell whole transcriptome sequencing.