The present invention includes a device and a method of using the device, wherein the device is a microfluidic device for single or multicell capture comprising: a substrate; one or more microgrooves or microtubes disposed within the substrate, each N microgroove or microtube having a first end and a second end, wherein a width of the microgroove or microtube is a diameter of a target cell or a group of cells, wherein the microgroove or microtube comprises one or more chambers; a fluid input disposed within the substrate in fluid communication with the first end of the one or more microgrooves or microtube; and a fluid output disposed within the substrate in fluid communication with the second end of the one or more microgrooves or microtube, or the one or more chambers, wherein one or more cells that are captured in the microgroove can be analyzed as a single cell.

The present disclosure relates to a device capable of adjusting the pH of a sample and provides a device comprising microbeads capable of adjusting the pH of a sample to a predetermined value. The device comprises microbeads enabling adjustment to different pH values in each of a plurality of channels, and enables adjustment of the pH of the sample to a plurality of different pH values simultaneously upon injection of the sample.

An apparatus and method to segregate particles suspended in a fluid with an obstacle field in the flow path of the fluid. The particles may be dispersed after an interaction with obstacles in the obstacle field. The obstacle-particle interactions may result in an asymmetrical particle shift or bump in which the particles are differentially dispersed relative to the obstacle and the fluid flow. Individual obstacles having properties that are asymmetrical are arranged creating asymmetrical gaps between adjacent pairs of obstacles to separate particles flowing through the device.

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.

Various aspects of the present invention relate to the control and manipulation of fluidic species, for example, in microfluidic systems. In one aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for making droplets of fluid surrounded by a liquid, using, for example, electric fields, mechanical alterations, the addition of an intervening fluid, etc. In some cases, the droplets may each have a substantially uniform number of entities therein. For example, 95% or more of the droplets may each contain the same number of entities of a particular species. In another aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for dividing a fluidic droplet into two droplets, for example, through charge and/or dipole interactions with an electric field. The invention also relates to systems and methods for fusing droplets according to another aspect of the invention, for example, through charge and/or dipole interactions. In some cases, the fusion of the droplets may initiate or determine a reaction. In a related aspect of the invention, systems and methods for allowing fluid mixing within droplets to occur are also provided. In still another aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for sorting droplets, e.g., by causing droplets to move to certain regions within a fluidic system. Examples include using electrical interactions (e.g., charges, dipoles, etc.) or mechanical systems (e.g., fluid displacement) to sort the droplets. In some cases, the fluidic droplets can be sorted at relatively high rates, e.g., at about 10 droplets per second or more. Another aspect of the invention provides the ability to determine droplets, or a component thereof, for example, using fluorescence and/or other optical techniques (e.g., microscopy), or electric sensing techniques such as dielectric sensing.

A method and system for improving throughput of a fluidic system such as a biopolymer analysis system by cleaning accumulated or clogging biopolymer from the fluidic system is disclosed. The method and system utilize a light energy source to photocleave the biopolymer molecules that may accumulate or aggregate in the fluidic system or clog a passageway. The accumulated biopolymer may be exposed to a light energy source for a sufficient period of time such that the biopolymer molecule is dosed with sufficient energy to photocleave the biopolymer molecules, thereby restoring the efficiency of and flow through the system.

The present invention relates to analytical testing devices comprising fluidic junctions and methods for assaying coagulation in a fluid sample received within the fluidic junctions. For example, the present invention may be directed to a sample analysis cartridge including an inlet chamber, a first conduit comprising a first junction configured to split a biological sample into at least first and second segments, a second conduit comprising a first reagent, a first sensor region, and a first fluidic lock valve, and a third conduit comprising a second reagent, a second sensor region, and a second fluidic lock valve. The sample analysis cartridge further includes a pump configured to push the first segment over the first sensor region to the first fluidic lock valve, and push the second segment over the second sensor region to the second fluidic lock valve.

A microfluidic system includes a substrate, a set of input ports coupled to the substrate, and a set of output ports coupled to the substrate. The microfluidic system also includes a microfluidic processing system coupled to the substrate and including a plurality of processing sites. The microfluidic processing system is coupled to the set of input ports and the set of output ports. The microfluidic system further includes one or more microfluidic logic devices coupled to the substrate and operable to control at least a portion of the microfluidic processing system.

A device comprising: a first zone comprising an attachment site; a first pathway; a second pathway and a means for creating a second medium comprised of aqueous microdroplets in a carrier; a microdroplet manipulation zone comprising: a first composite wall comprised of a first transparent substrate; a first transparent conductor layer on the substrate; a photoactive layer activated by electromagnetic radiation; and a first dielectric layer on the conductor layer; a second composite wall comprised of a second substrate; a second conductor layer on the substrate; and optionally a second dielectric layer on the conductor layer; an A/C source; a source of first electromagnetic radiation; means for manipulating the points of impingement of the electromagnetic radiation on the photoactive layer; an detection zone disposed downstream of the microdroplet manipulation zone or integral therewith; and a fluorescence or Raman-scattering detection system.

The microfluidic devices and systems disclosed herein reduce sample loss and help decrease sample processing bottlenecks for applications such as next generation sequencing (NGS). The microfluidic devices include a plurality of reaction modules. Each reaction module may comprise one or more reaction circuits. Each reaction circuit may comprise a single reaction flow channel with each reaction circuit connected by a bridge flow channel. Alternatively, each reaction circuit may comprise two or more reaction flow channels connected by two or more bridge flow channels. The combination of any two bridge flow channels and a portion of the two or more reaction flow channels between the any two bridge flow channels defining may define the reaction circuit. The reaction module may be arranged as nodes connected by bridge flow channels or each reaction module may be arranged in a parallel fashion on the microfluidic device.