A device for preparing a solution from a sample and a reagent, the device includes a microfluidic array having a sample supply inlet, a reagent supply inlet, a discharge outlet, a solution collection outlet, a sampling zone to which the inlets are connected, first and second preparation chambers connected to the sampling zone, arranged to either side of the sampling zone such that the liquid flowing from one preparation chamber to the other flows through the first sampling zone, the first preparation chamber having a volume that is variable between a minimum volume and a calibrated volume. The device includes valves interrupting the flow of the fluid at least at the two inlets and the collection and discharge outlets.

A diagnostic test assembly, including: a substrate having formed therein a plurality of mutually spaced open reservoirs and fluidic channels; a deformable membrane attached to the substrate to cover the open reservoirs and fluidic channels; a rigid covering disposed over the deformable membrane, the rigid covering being configured to allow respective actuators external to the diagnostic test assembly to displace corresponding portions of the deformable membrane; wherein at least some of the portions of the deformable membrane act as pumping portions, each pumping portion being disposed over a corresponding one of the reservoirs and being configured so that when it is displaced by a corresponding actuator, it is displaced into the corresponding reservoir to pump fluid from the corresponding reservoir through at least a corresponding one of the fluidic channels; and wherein one or more of the portions of the deformable membrane act as valve portions, each valve portion being configured so that when it is displaced, it blocks fluid flow through a corresponding reservoir or fluidic channel; and wherein movement of fluid within the diagnostic test assembly can be controlled by controlling displacements of the portions of the deformable membrane.

A microfluidic thermalization chip, a system using such a chip and a PCR method for detecting DNA sequences. The chip contains a block of material in which a cavity is configured to contain at least one fluid. The cavity includes at least one inlet orifice and at least one outlet orifice. The inlet orifice for the fluid is connected to at least one, preferably at least two, fluid-injecting channels. Further, the chip includes at least one microfluidic channel for bypassing the cavity. The channel is connected by a first end to at least one of the fluid-injecting channels. The junction between the bypassing channel and the fluid-injecting channel is located at a distance L from the inlet orifice of the fluid-injecting channel. The distance L is preferably smaller than 2 cm.

Microfluidic devices for the rapid and automated processing of sample populations are provided. Described are multiplexer microfluidic devices configured to serially deliver a plurality of distinct sample populations to a sample processing element rapidly and automatically, without cross-contaminating the distinct sample populations. Also provided are microfluidic sample processing elements that can be used to rapidly and automatically manipulate and/or interrogate members of a sample population. The microfluidic devices can be used to improve the throughput and quality of experiments involving model organisms, such as C. elegans.

A method is provided comprising loading shells into shell retention chambers of a shell management module, the shells including corresponding reservoirs configured to hold individual quantities of liquid, the shell retention chambers arranged in a predetermined pattern on a platform of the shell management module. The method further comprises orienting discharge ends of the shells along an actuation direction within the shell retention chambers, and covering the discharge ends with closure lids to seal bottoms of the corresponding reservoirs.

The present invention aims at providing a fluidic device that can hold a large amount of solutions in a reservoir without depending on an attitude. The reservoir includes a meandering flow path including: a plurality of first flow paths that extend linearly along a first direction and that are arranged to be spaced in a second direction crossing the first direction; and a second flow path that extends linearly along the second direction such that a connection between first end sides of the adjacent first flow paths and a connection between second end sides of the adjacent first flow paths are alternately switched along the second direction for each first flow path, wherein the meandering flow path meanders along the second direction. When the length of each of the first flow path and the second flow path is L, a surface tension is γ, the density of the solution is ρ, the acceleration which includes a gravity and which is applied to the solution is G, the wetted perimeter length of the first flow path and the second flow path is Wp, a cross-sectional area of the first flow path and the second flow path is A, a receding contact angle is α, and an advancing contact angle is β, a relationship L≤(γ×Wp×(cos α−cos β))/(ρ×A×G) is satisfied.

Multiplexable microfluidic culture chamber for imaging monolayer growth of single cells The present invention relates generally to a microfluidic device (1a, 1b), particularly for use in single cell analysis. More specifically, the present invention relates to a microfluidic device (1a, 1b) comprising at least one chamber (10), in particular at least two chambers (10) comprising a deformable membrane (16) and having a structure and geometry configured to enable formation of two-dimensional cell culture, in particular two-dimensional cell growth area (29), and imaging thereof over a growth period or a time period sufficient to analyze cells, in particular to monitor cell growth. The microfluidic device (1a, 1b) allows for multi-condition operation of single-cell screening at high spatiotemporal resolution. The present invention also relates to methods for fabrication and use of such devices.

The present disclosure provides devices, systems, methods for processing and/or analyzing a biological sample. An analytic device for processing and/or analyzing a biological sample may comprise a moving carriage. The analytic device may be portable. The analytic device may receive instructions for performing an assay from a mobile electronic device external to a housing of the analytic device.

Microfluidic cartridge (10) comprising a sampling device (30) having a sealing ring (32) arranged to form a microfluidic chamber (31) when a support containing a biological sample is brought into contact with the sealing ring, and a microfluidic network device (13) configured to supply reagents to the microfluidic chamber. The sampling device further comprises inlet and outlet distribution networks (33a, 33b) in fluid communication with the microfluidic chamber and a slide holder (35) to guide and position said support containing a biological sample on the sampling device. The microfluidic network device comprises a plurality of reagent inlet channels (18) fluidly connectable to reagent sources, at least one reagent outlet channel (22) fluidly connected to the sampling device inlet distribution network (33a), and a plurality of valves (25) operable to selectively connect the inlet channels to the at least one outlet channel. The sampling device (30) and microfluidic network device (13) are formed on a common microfluidic support (12) as a single part.

Methods and systems directed to collecting, processing, and analyzing stool samples are disclosed herein. A stool sample may be collected from a subject using a stool collector and collected in a collection unit. The stool sample may be analyzed using a sensor. The sensor may be used to determine one or more parameters of the stool sample, e.g., for nucleic acid or protein analysis. One or more biomolecules (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids) may be extracted or isolated from the stool sample using the methods and systems disclosed herein.