Provided herein are methods for inkjet printing objects, including objects which may be used as elements of microfluidic devices. The microfluidic devices incorporating the elements are also provided. Such microfluidic devices include those configured to quantify the expression and activity of exosomal matrix metalloprotease, MMP14. These microfluidic devices may be used in methods of monitoring breast cancer in patients having breast cancer.

A method for filling microchambers with a chemistry in a substrate containing a plurality of microchambers comprises forming a channel in the substrate such that the channel is fluidically connected with the plurality of microchambers. The chemistry is delivered into the channel so that the chemistry is delivered to each of the microchambers. The chemistry is then permitted to incubate within each of the microchambers. Excess chemistry is then removed from the microchambers by introducing fluid through the channel to each of the connected microchambers.

A microfluidic valve includes a carrier layer and a flexible membrane layer arranged on a surface of the carrier layer. The surface of the carrier layer has a valve chamber in the form of a spherical cap and a membrane formed by the flexible membrane layer covers at least the valve chamber. A plurality of microfluidic channels opening into the valve chamber are formed in the surface of the carrier layer. Moreover, an inflow channel and an outflow channel are connected to one another by a microfluidic connection channel. The connection channel and the valve chamber are positioned relative to each other in such a way that in the closed state of the membrane, a fluid can flow from the inflow channel via the connection channel into the outflow channel to bridge the valve chamber, while the at least one supply channel is closed by the membrane.

A system for testing for an analyte includes a test strip. The test strip includes a first flow path. The test strip further includes a heating element in communication with a heating area of the first flow path, for heating a sample in the first flow path. The test strip further includes an e-gate, the e-gate in the first flow path, the e-gate separating the heating area from a detection area of the first flow path.

There is disclosed a nanopore support structure comprising a wall layer comprising walls defining a plurality of wells, and overhangs extending from the walls across each of the wells, the overhang defining an aperture configured to support a membrane suitable for insertion of a nanopore. There is further disclosed a nanopore sensing device comprising a nanopore support structure, and methods of manufacturing the nanopore support structure and the nanopore sensing device.

A device configured to collect a blood sample comprising a capillary means, wherein the capillary means is configured to collect and dry the blood sample and comprises an effective amount of a distributed inhibitor of phospholipase D. The device may be configured to receive, transport and collect a blood sample comprising a compartment in fluid connection with the capillary means, wherein the capillary means is configured to collect and dry the blood sample and comprises an effective amount of a distributed PLD inhibitor. The device may be a microfluidic device comprising an inlet portion, an outlet portion comprising a capillary means configured to collect and dry the blood sample, and optionally a metering function, wherein the microfluidic device comprises an effective amount of a distributed PLD inhibitor. The PLD inhibitor is distributed in a water soluble film, preferably a PVA film, or in an absorbent paper or polymer or in the capillary means. The PLD inhibitor may be selected from a salt of a transition metal belonging to column 5 or 6 of the periodic table, a salt of vanadium and a salt of tungsten, a salt comprising a vanadium oxyanion and a salt comprising a tungsten oxyanion, and/or at least one of NaVO3 (sodium metavanadate) and Na2WO4 (sodium tungstate). A method of preparing a sample for analysis of phosphatidylethanol (PEth) comprises providing a blood sample with a volume of less than 10 ml to the device; contacting the blood sample with at least one inhibitor of the enzyme phospholipase D selected from at least one of a salt of vanadium and a salt of tungsten; and admitting inhibition of phospholipase D so formation of PEth is blocked.

The invention provides sample cartridges for processing samples. The sample cartridges comprise at least one fluidic channel. Each fluidic channel comprises a sample chamber, a lysis chamber, a binding chamber, a pre-amplification region, and an amplification region. The sample cartridges also comprise a waste line that is in fluidic connectivity with each fluidic channel. The sample cartridges can interface with a plurality of plungers that are capable of occluding at least one fluidic channel, waste line, and/or optional assay line to limit the transport of fluids into, out of, and/or along at least one fluidic channel by plunging. The invention also provides multi-channel sample cartridges, which are sample cartridges that comprise at least two fluidic channels. In addition, the sample cartridges can house fluids on the cartridge, off the cartridge, or some on the cartridge and some fluids off the cartridge.

The present invention describes an integrated apparatus that enables identification of migratory cells directly from a specimen. The apparatus only requires a small number of cells to perform an assay and includes novel topographic features which can reliably differentiate between migratory and non-migratory cell populations in a sample. Both the spontaneous and chemotactic migration of cancer cells may be measured to distinguish between subpopulations within a tumor sample. The migratory cells identified using the apparatus and methods of the present invention may be separated and further analyzed to distinguish factors promoting metastasis within the population. Cells in the apparatus can be treated with chemotherapeutic or other agents to determine drug strategies to most strongly inhibit migration. The use of optically transparent materials in some embodiments allows a wide range of imaging techniques to be used for in situ imaging of migratory and non-migratory cells in the apparatus. The apparatus and methods of the present invention are useful for predicting the metastatic propensity of tumor cells and selecting optimal drugs for personalized therapies.

Methods for selectively adding one or more reagents are provided. In certain aspects, the methods include selectively merging one or more droplets of a plurality of droplets with one or more droplets of a plurality of reagent droplets based on detection of a property. Systems, devices and kits for practicing the subject methods are also provided. The subject disclosure may find use in a wide variety of applications, such as increasing the accuracy and/or efficiency of single-cell sequencing, detection of cancer or other diseases, monitoring disease progression, analyzing the DNA or RNA content of cells, and other applications in which it is desired to detect and/or quantify specific target cells.

Modular active surface devices for microfluidic systems and methods of making the same including adhesive-free assembly are disclosed. In some embodiments, the presently disclosed modular active surface devices and methods provide adhesive-free assembly processes, such as, but not limited to, laser beam welding (LBW) processes, ultrasonic welding processes, heat welding processes, chemical bonding processes, mechanical compression processes, and the like. In some embodiments, the modular active surface devices and methods provide a reagent hopper or well that is out-of-plane with the reaction chamber.