The present invention provides methods and apparatus for measuring a property of an sample, the apparatus can manipulate, detect, and analyze the sample composed of single molecules, single small particles or single small samples of matter by drawing the sample into a nanofluidic channel and stretching the sample within the channel, passing the stretched sample through a gap having a width of less than or equal to 20 nm of a nanogap detector positioned inside or adjacent to the nanofluidic channel and measuring an output from the nanogap detector representative of the property of the sample.

The present disclosure concerns a method and system for imaging a molecular strand (MS). The method comprises providing a sample volume (SV) comprising the strand (MS); providing an excitation beam (EB) having an excitation focus (EF) in the sample volume (SV); scanning the excitation focus (EF) in the sample volume (SV) along a one dimensional scanning line (SL); trapping an end of the strand (MS) in the sample volume (SV) and extending the strand (MS) along a one-dimensional trapping line (LL) parallel to the scanning line (SL); aligning the trapping line (LL) to coincide with the scanning line (SL) to have the scanning excitation focus (EF) coincide with the strand (MS); and recording the fluorescence response (FR) as a function of a plurality of distinct scanning positions (X0) of the excitation focus (EF) along the scanning line (SL).

There is provided a cartridge for nucleic acid extraction comprising: a first body having a plurality of chambers in which ports are formed at the bottom; a second body coupled to a lower region of the first body; and a piston disposed rotatably in the centers of the first body and the second body and having a port formed at the bottom thereof; and characterized in that the cartridge comprises a plurality of flow paths formed on the upper region of the second body, one end overlapping the port of the piston and the other end overlapping the port of the first body.

A system and method for determining a trajectory parameter of particles, comprising receiving a plurality of particles at a microfluidic channel, applying a force to each particle of the microfluidic channel, acquiring a dataset of each particle, measuring a trajectory of the particle, and determining a trajectory parameter of the particles.

A microfluidic chip for causing the delivery of a payload to a cell comprises a plurality of constrictions configured to allow a cell suspension to flow through one or more of the plurality of constrictions from a first fluid flow region to a second fluid flow region within the microfluidic chip, wherein a cross-sectional width of each of the plurality of constrictions is less than a diameter of cells in the cell suspension, such that membranes of the cells are perturbed when passing through the constrictions such that a payload is able to pass through the perturbed cell membranes, and wherein a quotient of a cross-sectional area over a cross-sectional perimeter of each of the plurality of constrictions is greater than greater than or equal to 0.5 μm.

Among others, the present invention provides apparatus for detecting a disease, comprising a system delivery biological subject and a probing and detecting device, wherein the probing and detecting device includes a first micro-device and a first substrate supporting the first micro-device, the first micro-device contacts a biologic material to be detected and is capable of measuring at the microscopic level an electric, magnetic, electromagnetic, thermal, optical, acoustical, biological, chemical, physical, or mechanical property of the biologic material.

Microfluidic devices with neuronal cells, muscle cells, and optionally other cell types co-cultured therein are provided. Typically one or more the cells has a mutation that contributes to or causes a neuronal or muscular disease or disorder. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the cultured cells are derived from a subject with a neuronal or muscular disease or disorder. The microfluidic device can facilitate formation of a 3D motor unit and a neuromuscular junction in vitro, and be used to monitor the molecular, biochemical, cellular, and morphological differences in the formation of such structures by healthy and diseased cells, and for testing compounds, dosages of compounds, dosing regimes, and combinations thereof, that may improve or worsen their formation. An exemplary combination drug therapy identified in this way is also provided.

Provided a thermal cycler including a thermal block housing comprising a thermal block accommodating a reaction vessel and a temperature control portion for controlling a temperature of the thermal block, a support frame provided at the lower side of the thermal block housing, and at least one damping module comprising a fastening member coupled to the thermal block housing and the support frame and an elastic member provided between the thermal block housing and the support frame and elastically supporting the thermal block housing while spaced apart from the support frame.

Among others, the present invention provides apparatus for detecting a disease, comprising a system delivery biological subject and a probing and detecting device, wherein the probing and detecting device includes a first micro-device and a first substrate supporting the first micro-device, the first micro-device contacts a biologic material to be detected and is capable of measuring at the microscopic level an electric, magnetic, electromagnetic, thermal, optical, acoustical, biological, chemical, physical, or mechanical property of the biologic material.

An apparatus and method are disclosed for modifying the position of particles distributed in a fluid flow in a channel, comprising a channel formed by two substrates, each of the two substrates being on opposite sides of the channel, each substrate having a preselected periodic profile pattern along a length of the channel, and a transducer, wherein one of the substrates is between the transducer and the channel, the transducer to generate an acoustic standing wave within the channel with at least one node or antinode positioned within the channel.