A microfluidic chip orients and isolates components in a sample fluid mixture by two step focusing, where sheath fluids compress the sample fluid mixture in a sample input channel in one direction, such that the sample fluid mixture becomes a narrower stream bounded by the sheath fluids, and by having the sheath fluids compress the sample fluid mixture in a second direction further downstream, such that the components are compressed and oriented in a selected direction to pass through an interrogation chamber in single file formation for identification and separation by various methods. The isolation mechanism utilizes external, stacked piezoelectric actuator assemblies disposed on a microfluidic chip holder, or piezoelectric actuator assemblies on-chip, so that the actuator assemblies are triggered by an electronic signal to actuate jet chambers on either side of the sample input channel, to jet selected components in the sample input channel into one of the output channels.

Systems, methods, and techniques are disclosed herein for isolating rare cells and clusters of cells, such as CTCs, from large volumes of sample fluids, such as whole blood, diluted blood, e g, minimally diluted blood, and other samples such as leukapheresis and aphaeresis samples. In some implementations, a microfluidic device includes a particle enrichment module and a particle separation module for iterative multistage sorting. Each module can have an array of islands in a microfluidic channel having a sample inlet at a first end of the first microfluidic channel. The array of islands is arranged in one or more rows that extend along a longitudinal direction in the microfluidic channel. Each island in a row is spaced apart from an adjacent island in the row to form a siphoning channel. The array of islands is configured and arranged to shift portions of fluid through the siphoning channel between adjacent islands.

A biochip for the integration of all steps in a complex process from the insertion of a sample to the generation of a result, performed without operator intervention includes microfluidic and macrofluidic features that are acted on by instrument subsystems in a series of scripted processing steps. Methods for fabricating these complex biochips of high feature density by injection molding are also provided.

The present disclose provides methods for forming a microfluidic device. Methods for forming a microfluidic device may comprise providing a microfluidic structure and a film, treating a surface of the microfluidic structure, a surface of the film, or both with a solvent, subsequently pressing the microfluidic structure together with the film under a first heating condition to form the microfluidic device comprising the solvent, and applying a negative pressure to the microfluidic device under a second heating condition, which negative pressure is applied for a time period greater than 30 minutes or at a pressure less than 20 kilopascals (kPa) to remove at least a portion of the solvent. In some aspects, the present disclosure provides devices consistent with the methods herein.

An embodiment includes a sample receiving region, a first diagnostic element that includes one or more colorimetric analysis regions, and a second diagnostic element that includes one or more lateral flow assay analysis regions. The embodiment also includes a first flow path that allows a portion of a liquid deposited at the sample receiving region to flow to the first diagnostic element. The embodiment also includes a second flow path that allows a portion of the liquid deposited at the sample receiving region to flow to the second diagnostic element.

A filter film includes a through-hole and a recessed portion having a size capable of capturing one particle, in which the recessed portion is open to one face of the filter film, the through-hole in the one face has a shape or a size such that the one particle is not capable of passing through the through-hole, and the through-hole and the recessed portion are disposed close to each other.

Described herein are devices and methods for high throughput purification of particles. In some cases, methods and devices described herein can be used to remove erythrocytes and purify leukocytes and raise the quality of umbilical cord blood and other transplant grafts, thereby significantly improving patient outcomes.

A system, configured to facilitate processing and detection of nucleic acids, the system comprising a process fluid container and a cartridge comprising: a top layer, a set of sample port-reagent port pairs, a shared fluid port, a vent region, a heating region, and a set of detection chambers; an intermediate substrate, coupled to the top layer comprising a waste chamber; an elastomeric layer, partially situated on the intermediate substrate; and a set of fluidic pathways, each formed by at least a portion of the top layer and a portion of the elastomeric layer, wherein each fluidic pathway is fluidically coupled to a sample port-reagent port pair, the shared fluid port, and a detection chamber, comprises a portion passing through the heating region, and is configured to be occluded upon deformation of the elastomeric layer, to transfer a waste fluid to the waste chamber, and to pass through the vent region.

In biosciences and related fields, it can be useful to study cells in isolation so that cells having unique and desirable properties can be identified within a heterogenous mixture of cells. Processes and methods disclosed herein provide for encapsulating cells within a microfluidic device and assaying the encapsulated cells. Encapsulation can, among other benefits, facilitate analyses of cells that generate secretions of interest which would otherwise rapidly diffuse away or mix with the secretions of other cells.

Systems and methods are provided to assist in developing a precision medicine approach using a microfluidic cell having a releasable, aqueous interfacial film to separate tissue channels. The approach can include a personalized medicine treatment plan. The systems and methods emulate cellular communication in a disease state in a more accurate aqueous environment and provide data on the interaction between the cells that can be used to develop a treatment for a subject in need. The systems and methods also can be used to assess the effect of a particular treatment, such as a drug therapy, radiation therapy, or a combination thereof, for example. The systems and methods can show how a particular therapy is affected by any of several known factors including, but not limited to, the sex of the subject, the age of the subject, hereditary factors or other genetic predispositions, as well as perhaps other physiological states of the subject, or a combination thereof.