Transfer of genetic and other materials to cells is conducted in a hands-free, automated, high throughput, continuous process. A system using a microfluidic hydrodynamic sheath flow configuration includes arrangements for pushing cells from side streams containing a cell culture medium to a central stream containing an electroporation buffer. Electroporation can be conducted in an assembly in which two or more microfluidic channels are provided in a parallel configuration and in which various layers can be stacked together to form a laminate type structure.

Systems and methods for sorting T cells are disclosed. Autofluorescence data is acquired from individual cells. An activation value is computed using one or more autofluorescence endpoints as an input. The one or more autofluorescence endpoints includes NAD(P)H shortest fluorescence lifetime amplitude component (.sub.1).

A system for isolating and enumerating cells or particles from a fluid are disclosed. The system includes a microfluidic chip and an impedance chip fluidly connected to the microfluidic chip. The microfluidic chip includes a substrate and a microfluidic channel disposed in the substrate between an inlet and an outlet. The microfluidic channel generates a vortex within the at least one expansion region in response to fluid flowing through the microfluidic channel.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a microfluidic device. The device comprises a flow path structure that includes an inlet microchannel and chambers. The flow path structure is configured as an arborescence extending from the inlet microchannel to the chambers. Thus, liquid introduced in said inlet microchannel can potentially enter the chambers via respective flow paths to remain essentially confined in the chambers, in operation. The device further comprises substances in selected ones of the chambers. That is, a subset of the chambers is loaded with substances adapted for interacting with liquid to yield a detectable change in a property of the liquid and/or the substance in each of the chambers of said subset, in operation. The invention is further directed to related devices, and methods of operation and conditioning.

An optical measurement instrument is an integrated instrument that includes an optical cavity with a light source, a sample cuvette, and an optical sensor. The light source and sensor are on a bench that is on a translational or rotational mechanical platform such that optical beam can be moved to multiple sample containers. Each sample containers holds a distinct microorganism-attracting substance and a portion of a fluid sample containing an unknown microorganism. Each distinct microorganism-attracting substance is configured to bind with a single type of microorganism. The unknown microorganism in the fluid sample binds with the distinct microorganism-attracting substance in a single sample container. The instrument incubates the microorganism in the single sample container and detects the presence of the microorganism in the single sample container to thereby simultaneously identify the unknown microorganism.

Several microfluidic chips are used to significantly accelerate the time to identify and quantify microbes in a biological sample and test them for antibiotic resistance, particularly for urinary tract infections. A first microfluidic chip uses antibody or similar probes to identify and quantify any microbes present. The same or a similar chip uses antibody or similar probes to identify microbes with DNA or RNA known to indicate antibiotic resistance. Another microfluidic chip tests for antibiotic susceptibility of any microbes by growing them in very small wells in the presence of antibiotics, reducing the time required for such testing by as much as 95%. Another microfluidic chip runs traditional urinalysis or similar tests.

There are provided methods, and devices for assaying for a binding interaction between a protein, such as a monoclonal antibody, produced by a cell, and a biomolecule. The method may include retaining the cell within a chamber having an aperture; exposing the protein produced by the cell to a capture substrate, wherein the capture substrate is in fluid communication with the protein produced by the cell and wherein the capture substrate is operable to bind the protein produced by the cell; flowing a fluid volume comprising the biomolecule through the chamber via said aperture, wherein the fluid volume is in fluid communication with the capture substrate; and determining a binding interaction between the protein produced by the cell and the biomolecule.

Methods for cell analysis are provided, comprising cell capturing, characterization, transport, and culture. In an exemplary method individual cells (and/or cellular units) are flowed into a microfluidic channel, the channel is partitioned into a plurality of contiguous segments, capturing at least one cell in at least one segment, A characteristic of one or more captured cells is determined and the cell(s) and combinations of cells are transported to specified cell holding chamber(s) based on the determined characteristic(s). Also provided are devices and systems for cell analysis.

An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel. More specifically, air compressed within the blood clot detection instrument, the at least one test channel of the cuvette, and the section of the sampling channel extending beyond the vent opening of the cuvette, coacts with the waste channel to cause a leading edge of the blood sample drawn into the sampling channel from the blood receptor-inlet, to pull back within the sampling channel and uncover an optical sensor in of the blood clot detection instrument. The uncovering of the optical sensor activates a pump module of the blood clot detection instrument, which draws the requisite volume of the blood sample into the at least one test channel.

Described herein are various embodiments directed to rotor devices, systems, and kits. Embodiments of rotors disclosed herein may be used to characterize one or more analytes of a fluid. An apparatus may include a first layer being substantially transparent. A second layer may be coupled to the first layer to collectively define a set of wells. The second layer may define a channel, and the second layer may be substantially absorbent to infrared radiation. A third layer may be coupled to the second layer. The third layer may define an opening configured to receive a fluid. The third layer may be substantially transparent. The channel may establish a fluid communication path between the opening and the set of wells.