A microfluidic device includes a channel through which a reaction solution flows. The channel passes through a reaction section having a plurality of temperature zones set at predetermined different temperatures. The channel includes, at least in the reaction section, a region where a cross-sectional area decreases in a feeding direction of the reaction solution.

The present invention provides a droplet generator. The droplet generator includes a large-corner continuous U-shaped flow channel on the encoded microsphere flow channel. Controlling the turning radius of the continuous U-shaped flow channel prevents the blockage resulted from accumulation of microfibers in the encoded microsphere suspension at the turn of the continuous U-shaped flow channel. A buffer tank is arranged at the encoded microsphere flow channel, which is used for the pre-arrangement of the encoded microspheres, to increase the controllability of the flow rate of the encoded microspheres. The buffer tank is provided in the oil-phase flow channel to prevent the oil phase from infiltrating into the aqueous phase due to excessive flow rate, and increase the controllability of the oil phase flow rate. The droplet generator has simple structure, low cost, high-throughput, and high-stability, and may be used to prepare single-cell single-encoded microsphere droplets.

A microfluidic apparatus includes a substrate defining a microchannel having inlet and an outlet defining a length of the microchannel. The microchannel has a main channel extending from the inlet to the outlet, and a plurality of side cavities extending from the main channel. The cavities are in fluid communication with the main channel. A method includes introducing a sample into the microchannel through the inlet to fill the entire microchannel, and then introducing a solvent into the microchannel through the inlet at a controlled flow rate and inlet pressure. A developed solvent front then moves along the main channel from the inlet to the outlet while displacing the sample in the main channel. Images of the microchannel are acquired as the front moves, and a miscibility condition is determined based on the images.

A method measuring the phase transition characteristics of a macromolecule, the method comprising: generating a stream of micro-droplets comprising at least one constituent, of which one constituent comprises the macromolecule, varying the conditions in the micro-droplets; and measuring the relative concentrations of the constituents of, and the phases of the macromolecule present in, the micro-droplets.

Disclosed are devices and methods useful for confined-channel digital microfluidics that combine high-throughput droplet generators with digital microfluidic for droplet manipulation. The present disclosure also provides an off-chip sensing system for droplet tracking.

A coagulation test device for measuring clotting time and clot characteristics of a whole blood sample under different hemostatic conditions. Results of the test are used as an aid in management of patients with coagulopathy of unknown etiology in order to help the physician determine appropriate clinical action to arrest bleeding in a patient.

A blood separation device adapted to receive a blood sample having a whole blood portion and a plasma portion is disclosed. The blood separation device includes a housing defining a first chamber, a second chamber, and a separation member disposed therebetween. The blood separation device also includes an actuator, wherein actuation of the actuator draws the blood sample into the first chamber and the separation member is adapted to allow the plasma portion to pass through the separation member to the second chamber. The blood separation device matches the plasma chamber volume, the blood chamber volume, and the applied single pressure source so that the correct trans-membrane pressure and shear rate is obtained.

A liquid handling device having an axis of rotation about which the device can be rotated to drive liquid flow. The device includes a vented upstream chamber having an outlet port and an unvented chamber including an inlet port to receive liquid from the outlet port of the upstream chamber and an outlet port radially outward the inlet port. The device further includes a vented downstream chamber having an inlet port to receive liquid from the outlet port of the unvented chamber. A downstream conduit connects the outlet port of the unvented chamber to the inlet port of the downstream chamber and includes a bend radially inward of the outlet port of the unvented chamber. An upstream conduit connects the outlet port of the upstream chamber to the inlet port of the unvented chamber.

The invention is directed to devices and methods for performing rapid low-cost bioassays in self-contained disposable cartridges that provide efficient mixing of sample and reactants under a layer of liquid wax. Some embodiments additionally use gravity assisted distribution of sample and assay reagents in conjunction with an appliance containing all necessary valves, pneumatic sources, heat sources and detection stations.

Disclosed in one aspect is a method for performing a complete blood count (CBC) on a sample of whole blood by metering a predetermined amount of the whole blood and mixing it with a predetermined amount of diluent and stain and transferring a portion thereof to an imaging chamber of fixed dimensions and utilizing an automated microscope with digital camera and cell counting and recognition software to count every white blood cell and red blood corpuscle and platelet in the sample diluent/stain mixture to determine the number of red cells, white cells, and platelets per unit volume, and analyzing the white cells with cell recognition software to classify them.