A biological sample collection system can include a sample collection vessel having a sample collection chamber with an opening configured to receive a biological sample into the sample collection chamber. The biological sample collection system can additionally include a selectively movable sleeve valve configured to associate with the opening of the sample collection chamber. The biological sample collection system can additionally include a sealing cap that is configured to associate with the selectively movable sleeve valve and with the sample collection vessel. The sealing cap can include a reagent chamber having reagent(s) stored therein, and when the sealing cap is associated with the sample collection vessel, the selectively movable sleeve valve opens, dispensing the reagent(s) into the sample collection chamber.

Provided herein are devices, systems, and methods for specimen preparation by employing a combination of capillary and centrifugal forces, along with the addition of reagents at specified steps, followed by on-device sample analysis. For example, provided herein are devices, and methods of use thereof, that collect a sample by capillary force, separate components of the collected sample by centrifugal force, isolate one or more of the separated components by a second application of capillary force, mix the separated components with a first reagent from a storage compartment under centrifugal force, and continue to advance the materials through the device by alternating capillary and centrifugal forces, optionally with the addition of additional reagents from additional storage compartments, until final materials reach a test zone of the device for analysis.

According to the invention, generally, a method for making a microfluidic aliquoting (MA) chip, adapted to fit in a Petri dish, has a center well (inlet) connected by branched channels to a plurality of side wells (outlets). The chip comes in various types, including a bMA Chip T1, bMA Chip T2, bMA Chip T3, and an rMA Chip. The branched channel improvement provides for a greater distance between neighboring channels and a decreased density near the center well. Design improvements including an injection mold design for an insert and a base and a multiplex hole punch allow for rapid fabrication of the MA chip.

Sample preparation systems and methods are described having pump control, valve configurations, and control logic that facilitate automatic, inline preparation dilutions of a sample according to at least two dilution operating modes. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to a first pump configured to drive a carrier fluid; a second pump configured to drive a diluent; and a plurality of selection valves fluidically coupled with the first pump and the second pump, the plurality of selection valves being configured to direct fluid flows from the first pump and the second pump according to at least two modes of operation to provide a single-stage sample dilution according to a first operating mode and to provide a dual-stage sample dilution according to a second operating mode.

A method and cartridge for determining an amount of at least two analytes in a biological sample and an automatic analyzer are disclosed. The cartridge may comprise a cartridge inlet, a sample holding chamber fluidically connected to the inlet, and two or more metering chambers. Each metering chamber may comprise a sample inlet, a sample outlet, and a metered outlet for dispensing a predetermined volume. At least one sample distribution channel is connected between the sample outlet of a metering chamber with a sample inlet of another metering chamber. For each metering chamber, a connecting tube fluidically connects the sample inlet with the sample holding chamber, a microfluidic structure for processing the sample into a processed sample connects to the sample outlet, and a measurement structure fluidically connects to the microfluidic structure and enables measurement of the processed sample to determine the amount of the analyte in the processed sample.

A microfluidic liquid handling device is configured for rotation about an axis of rotation to drive liquid flow within the device. The device can include an upstream liquid handling structure, a metering structure and an overflow region. The metering structure is configured to receive liquid from the upstream liquid handling structure. The overflow region is separated from the metering structure by a wall. The wall has a first surface portion on the side of the overflow region which has an extent in a direction perpendicular to the direction of action of the centrifugal force, in a substantially tangential or circumferential direction, relative to the axis of rotation. The first surface portion faces radially outwards. Advantageously, the structure of the wall facilitates accurate metering.

Devices and methods for handling liquids are provided. The devices and methods make use of centrifugal forces to drive liquid flow and facilitate one or more of the mixing, metering and sequencing of liquids, for example on a microfluidic device.

A liquid handling device having an axis of rotation about which the device can be rotated to drive liquid flow in the device. The device includes an upstream chamber comprising an outlet, a downstream chamber including a proximal portion radially inwards of a distal portion and including a first port disposed in the distal portion and a first conduit which connects the outlet of the upstream chamber to the first port of the downstream chamber. The first conduit extends radially inwards to a crest and radially outwards from the crest to the first port of the downstream chamber. A distance between the axis of rotation and the crest is greater than or equal to a distance between the axis of rotation and the outlet of the upstream chamber.

A microscale method for the characterization of one or more reaction variables that influence the formation or dissociation of an affinity complex comprising a ligand and a binder, which have mutual affinity for each other. The method is characterized in comprising the steps of: (i) providing a microfluidic device comprising a microchannel structures that are under a common flow control, each microchannel structure comprising a reaction microactivity; (ii) performing essentially in parallel an experiment in each of two or more of the plurality of microchannel structures, the experiment in these two or more microchannel structures comprising either a) formation of an immobilized form of the complex and retaining under flow conditions said form within the reaction microactivity, or b) dissociating, preferably under flow condition, an immobilized form of the complex which has been included in the microfluidic device provided in step (i), at least one reaction variable varies or is uncharacterized for said two or more microchannel structures while the remaining reaction variables are kept essentially constant; (iii) measuring the presentation of the complex in said reaction microactivity in said two or more microchannel structures; and (iv) characterizing said one or more reaction variables based on the values for presentation obtained in step (iii).

A nucleic acid amplification disk apparatus using a temperature sensitive polymer synthesis and the analysis method using the same, and more specifically, and the nucleic acid amplification device, and the analysis method using the nucleic acid amplification disk unit and the nucleic acid amplification disk for amplifying the Bacterial DNA or RNA, and the driving control section for controlling the nucleic acid amplification disk.