A microfluidic system includes a matrix structure having a plurality of wells, each of the wells being accessible via at least one microfluidic path connectable via an interface to at least one droplet input for receiving one or more sets of droplets from one or more droplet sources, wherein a droplet enters a well based on one or more of: buoyancy, gravity, hydrodynamic force, and/or mechanical capturing, and wherein contents of a particular well are determinable based on a position of the particular well in the matrix structure and on inputs to the matrix structure. Methods using the matrix structure.

This disclosure describes microfluidic tissue biopsy and immune response drug evaluation devices and systems. A microfluidic device can include an inlet channel having a first end configured to receive a fluid sample optionally containing a tissue sample. The microfluidic device can also include a tissue trapping region at the second end of the inlet channel downstream from the first end. The tissue trapping region can include one or more tissue traps configured to catch a tissue sample flowing through the inlet channel such that the fluid sample contacts the tissue trap. The microfluidic device can also include one or more channels providing an outlet.

A micro-particle separation apparatus includes a triangular microchannel of which a cross-section is formed in the shape of a triangle and through which a fluid including a plurality of particles flows by a predetermined length; and an outlet that separates particles that have been arranged at different focusing positions in the triangular microchannel, and outputs the separated particles. The triangular microchannel has different focusing positions depending on particle size.

Systems and methods are provided that enable the magnetophoretic separation of magnetic particles using Dean flow in curved fluidic channels. In some example embodiments, a magnetic microparticle solution and a buffer solution are injected into a proximal region of a curved fluidic channel, and channel and fluidic parameters are selected to achieve solution exchange via Dean flow, such that the lateral positions of injected laminar fluid streams are inverted in a distal region of the channel. An applied magnetic field gradient is employed to retain the magnetic microparticles proximal to a channel side wall during the solution exchange process, such that magnetic microparticles are separated into the buffer solution. Various example device configurations are disclosed, including example configurations including one or more additional fluidic components for the further processing of separated magnetic particles.

The subject matter of the present invention is a microfluidic process for treating and analysing a solution containing a biological material, comprising a step of introducing the solution into microchannels of a microfluidic circuit (1), a step of forming drops of this solution, under the effect of modifications of the surface tension of the solution, a step of moving the drops to one or more drop storage zones(s) (130), under the effect of modifications of the surface tension of the drops, a step of treating the drops and a step of analysing the drops.

A priming device for a fluid ejection head and a method for priming a fluid ejection head. The priming device includes a Venturi tube having a motive fluid inlet, a suction inlet, a fluid outlet, and a motive fluid source configured to provide pressurized fluid to the fluid inlet of a Venturi tube and configured to provide a reduced pressure at the suction inlet of a Venturi tube. An ejection head sealing device is provided in fluid flow communication with an ejection head of a fluid cartridge and the suction inlet of the Venturi tube.

The disclosure relates to a method for determining a hydrodynamic size of an object, such as a nano-sized object, said method comprising the steps of: providing a fluid interface, linking said object to said fluid interface thereby providing a linked object, whereby the movement of said linked object is restricted by virtue of being linked to said fluid interface, providing and determining a hydrodynamic shear force that acts on said linked object, tracking the movement of said linked object, and calculating the hydrodynamic size of the object using the Einstein-Smoluchowski relation.

A sampler has a sample chamber for a sample forming from a molten material, at least one lower cooling body, at least one upper cooling body, at least one inner cooling body, and at least one filling part. The sample chamber is surrounded jointly at least by the lower cooling body and the inner cooling body, such that at least the sample chamber can be cooled by at least the lower and inner cooling bodies. The filling part merges into the sample chamber by a filling opening. Between a region of the outer surface of the inner cooling body and a region of the outer surface of the upper cooling body opposite the outer surface of the inner cooling body, the sampler has at least one gap for conducting at least one gas. The volume of the respective cooling bodies is larger than the volume of the gap.

In accordance with an embodiment, a microfluidic chip including a first cells enrichment system and a second cells enrichment system is provided. Channel layouts of the first and the second cells enrichment systems are symmetric with respect to a reflection plane vertical to the microfluidic chip. Each of the first the second cells enrichment systems includes a first fluid channel, a second fluid channel, a sample channel, an inlet channel, and a filtration chamber. The sample channel of the first cells enrichment system has a first inner wall and a first outer wall. The sample channel of the second cells enrichment system has a second inner wall and a second outer wall. The first outer wall and the second outer wall are both far from the reflection plane. A distance between the first outer wall and the second outer wall is in the range from about 10 m to about 1 cm.

The invention provides a method of releasing a liquid from a porous matrix having at least one pore to a microfluidic surface having at least one liquid volume area and at least one exit hole, comprising: (a) filtering said liquid through said porous matrix; (b) removing said porous matrix and sealing the microfluidic surface having a liquid volume area; (c) releasing said liquid from the liquid volume area through the exit hole of the microfluidic surface by application of a dynamic force; and (d) collecting said liquid into a liquid receiving area. Additionally, there is provided an apparatus useful for processing liquid samples undergoing analytical assays which includes (a) a filtering device having a porous matrix affixed to a support structure; (b) a microfluidic surface having a liquid volume area and an exit hole connected to said filtering device; and (c) a liquid receiving area attached to said microfluidic surface.