The present invention relates to an apparatus for simultaneous imaging and execution of contact-free directed hydrodynamic flow in a specimen with at least one light source, in particular a laser, adapted to dynamically heat the interior and/or a surface of the specimen, a microscope with an objective adapted to image at least a part of the specimen and to guide, in particular focus, a light beam of the light source, in particular a laser beam, into and/or onto the specimen to heat at least one specified location of the specimen, means for manipulating the specified location, and a sample chamber for the specimen that is accessible for imaging radiation and the light beam to allow simultaneous imaging and manipulation of the sample via the objective. Furthermore the present invention is directed to a method for simultaneous imaging and executing contact-free directed hydrodynamic flow in a specimen wherein, at least one light source, in particular a laser, dynamically heats the interior and/or a surface of the specimen via a light beam, in particular via a laser beam, the beam of the at least one light source is directed to the specimen through an objective of a microscope, the light beam is variably guided, in particular focused, to specified locations of the specimen inducing a hydrodynamic flow in the specimen, and imaging the specimen via the same objective as used for introduction of the light beam.

An apparatus for collecting a sample fluid includes a base part with sample well plate with cavity having plurality of holes fluidically connecting first side and second side of cavity. The cavity is configured to accommodate sample collection part of sample stick on first side of cavity. The base part has microfluidic plate configured to channelize flow of at least a part of sample fluid received via plurality of holes towards at least one sensor coupled to microfluidic plate; and plurality of electrical connectors connected to at least one sensor. Moreover, the apparatus has lid part coupled to base part, lid part having compressible region configured to receive first amount of external force thereon and exert pressure over sample collection part to enable flow of sample fluid towards at least one sensor.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can include a method for convective intracellular delivery including providing cells and molecules to a microchannel having compressive surfaces, wherein the compressive surfaces define compression gaps having a height of from 20 and 80% of the average cell diameter; and a plurality of relaxation spaces disposed between the compressive surfaces; flowing the cell medium through the microchannel, wherein as the cell medium flows through the microchannel, the plurality of cells undergo a convective intracellular delivery process comprising: compressing the plurality of cells, wherein the compressing causes the plurality of cells to undergo a loss in intracellular volume (V.sub.loss); and passing the plurality of cells to a first relaxation space, wherein the plurality of cells undergo a gain in volume (V.sub.gain) and absorb a portion of the plurality of molecules.

A microfluidic chip for focussing a stream of particulate containing fluid comprises a sample microfluidic channel configured to receive the stream of particulate containing fluid, a guidance microfluidic channel having a polygonal cross-sectional area and configured to receive a stream of guidance fluid, and a common microfluidic channel having a polygonal cross sectional area formed by the merging of the sample microfluidic channel and the guidance 10 microfluidic channel at an oblique angle along only part of one or more sides of the guidance microfluidic channel, and a detection zone disposed in the common microfluidic channel having one or more sensors. The merging of the sample microfluidic channel and the guidance microfluidic channel is configured to provide a composite fluid stream containing a focussed beam of particulates that is disposed asymmetrically in the common microfluidic channel 15 adjacent a corner or side of the common microfluidic channel and wherein the one or more sensors are configured for sensing a characteristic of the focussed beam of particulates in the common channel.

Methods and apparatus for manufacturing a microfluidic arrangement are disclosed. In one arrangement a continuous body of a first liquid is provided in direct contact with a substrate. A second liquid is provided in direct contact with the first liquid and covering the first liquid. The first liquid is in direct contact exclusively with the second liquid and the substrate. The second liquid is forced through the first liquid and into contact with the substrate in selected regions of the substrate in order to divide the continuous body of the first liquid into a plurality of sub-bodies of the first liquid that are separated from each other by the second liquid. The first liquid is immiscible with the second liquid. Surface tension stably holds the plurality of sub-bodies of the first liquid separated from each other by the second liquid.

Methods and apparatus for controlling flow in a microfluidic arrangement are disclosed. In one arrangement, a microfluidic arrangement comprises a first liquid held predominantly by surface tension in a shape defining a microfluidic pattern on a surface of a substrate. The microfluidic pattern comprises at least an elongate conduit and a first reservoir. A second liquid is in direct contact with the first liquid and covers the microfluidic pattern. A flow of liquid is driven through the elongate conduit into the first reservoir. The microfluidic pattern and the depth and density of the second liquid are such that the first reservoir grows in volume during the flow of liquid into the first reservoir, without either of the size and shape of an area of contact between the first reservoir and the substrate changing, until an upper portion of the first reservoir detaches from a lower portion of the first reservoir due to buoyancy and rises upwards through the second liquid, thereby allowing the first reservoir to continue to receive liquid from the flow of liquid without any change in the size and shape of the area of contact between the first reservoir and the substrate.

A single junction sorter for a microfluidic particle sorter, the single-junction sorter comprising: an input channel, configured to receive a fluid containing particles; an output sort channel and an output waste channel, each connected to the input channel for receiving the fluid therefrom; a bubble generator, operable to selectively displace the fluid around a particle to be sorted and thereby to create a transient flow of the fluid in the input channel; and a vortex element, configured to cause a vortex in the transient flow in order to direct the particle to be sorted into the output sort channel.

A method of replacing a liquid medium including feeding in a flow direction a plurality of liquids including a first liquid medium having a target particle dispersed therein and a second liquid medium such that a laminar flow is formed, and that the laminar flow has laminar flow segments including a first laminar flow segment formed by the first liquid medium and a second laminar flow segment formed by the second liquid medium, applying an external force to the laminar flow such that the target particle is moved from the first laminar flow segment to the second laminar flow segment, and recovering a laminar flow fraction including the target particle from the second laminar flow segment from a recovery surface which is perpendicular to the flow direction and separated from a cross section of the first laminar flow segment.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for generating substantially monodisperse droplets. The invention involves flowing a continuous phase fluid in a microfluidic passageway which extends along a longitudinal length direction and has a substantially constant cross section along the length direction. A dispersed phase fluid is introduced into the microfluidic passageway along a traverse direction through inlet orifices to generate droplets of the dispersed phase fluid in the continuous phase fluid. The inlet orifices have a substantially uniform diameter, and any adjacent two of the inlet orifices are arranged to be offset from each other in the length direction. The dispersed phase fluid is broken up by the shear stress generated by the continuous phase fluid to produce monodisperse droplets. By the offsetting arrangement of the inlet orifices, droplets formed by adjacent inlet orifices will not interfere with each other, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the droplets.

Described is a multi-dimensional double spiral (MDDS) microfluidic device comprising a first spiral microchannel and a second microchannel, wherein the wherein the first spiral microchannel and second spiral microchannel have different cross-sectional areas. Also described is a device comprising a multi-dimensional double spiral and system for recirculation. The invention also encompasses methods of separating particles from a sample fluid comprising a mixture of particles comprising the use of the multi-dimensional double spiral microfluidic device.