The disclosure discloses a milk protein concentrate-based microencapsulation wall material and microcapsules, and belongs to the technical field of microcapsule preparation. In the disclosure, liquid or solid microcapsules are prepared by performing cation exchange treatment on milk protein concentrates, and then using the treated milk protein concentrates as a wall material. The prepared microcapsules have good physical and chemical stability during storage, and are suitable for protecting active functional factors and to be applied in the fields of food, medicine, health care products, cosmetics, daily chemicals and the like.

The invention describes a method for the identification of compounds which bind to a target component of a biochemical system or modulate the activity of the target, comprising the steps of: a) compartmentalising the compounds into microcapsules together with the target, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; and b) identifying the compound which binds to or modulates the activity of the target; wherein at least one step is performed under microfluidic control. The invention enables the screening of large repertoires of molecules which can serve as leads for drug development.

Certain embodiments are directed to finite step emulsification device and/or methods that combine finite step emulsification with gradients of confinement for the formation of a 2D monolayer array of droplets with low size dispersion.

The present invention generally relates to microparticles and, in particular, to systems and methods for encapsulation within microparticles. In one aspect, the present invention is generally directed to microparticles containing entities therein, where the entities contain an agent that can be released from the microparticles, e.g., via diffusion. In some cases, the agent may be released from the microparticles without disruption of the microparticles. The entities may be, for instance, polymeric particles, hydrogel particles, droplets of fluid, etc. The entities may be contained within a fluid that is, in turn, encapsulated within the microparticle. The agent may be released from the entity into the fluid, and then from the fluid through the microparticle. In such fashion, the release of agent from the microparticle may be controlled, e.g., over relatively long time scales. Other embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to methods of making such microparticles, methods of using such microparticles, microfluidic devices for making such microparticles, and the like.

Method of performing a droplet-based assay. The method may include obtaining droplets encapsulated by an immiscible liquid and packed closely together in a monolayer, performing a reaction in the droplets while packed closely together in the monolayer; and collecting data related to an analyte from a plurality of the droplets while the droplets remain closely packed together in the monolayer.

A microfluidic chip includes an integrated chip support (1), a continuous phase liquid inlet (1-6), an intermediate phase liquid inlet (1-7), a dispersed phase liquid inlet (2), an injection capillary tube (3), a collection capillary tube (4), a collection port (5), capillary tube nesting assemblies (6) and capillary tube coaxial fine adjustment assemblies (7). The chip support (1) is provided with threaded holes (1-1), sealing holes (1-2), capillary tube coaxial alignment holes (1-3), adjusting holes (1-4) and positioning holes (1-5). The injection capillary tube (3) and the collection capillary tube (4) present a three-dimensional coaxial alignment under the combined adjustment of the adjusting holes (1-4) and the capillary tube coaxial fine adjustment assemblies (7), and the capillary tube nesting assemblies (6) can realize the fixing and sealing of the capillary tubes in the chip support (1).

The present invention relates to a plant (2) for producing a composition (9), in particular a cosmetic composition, comprising drops (8) of at least one first fluid dispersed in a second fluid substantially immiscible with the first fluid, each drop (8) comprising a core formed of the first fluid, and optionally a shell suitable for retaining the core, the plant (2) comprising: a device (16) for producing the composition (9), a storage module (10) comprising: at least one tank (36) for storing at least one first stock solution (A), and at least one tank (38) for storing at least one first solution of active agent(s), at least one tank (40) for storing at least one second stock solution (B), and a preparation module (12), connected to the storage module (10).

The invention describes a method for the identification of compounds which bind to a target component of a biochemical system or modulate the activity of the target, comprising the steps of: a) compartmentalizing the compounds into microcapsules together with the target, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; and b) identifying the compound which binds to or modulates the activity of the target; wherein at least one step is performed under microfluidic control. The invention enables the screening of large repertoires of molecules which can serve as leads for drug development.

A system and method for producing fine droplets of polysaccharide from a premixed water-in-oil emulsion uses a packed bed (5) comprising hydrophilic beads (7).

The invention comprises a novel modular, generalizable meso-micro-nano-fluidic platform apparatus, design and methodology which in exemplary embodiments may be applied in conjunction with a novel external triggering and automation/feedback loop control mechanism deployed via computer to explore the phase space of single or double emulsification for applications including the encapsulation of hydrophilic active pharmacological ingredients (APIs). End use applications include the mass production of particulate encapsulation of hydrophobic or hydrophilic APIs with automatic or user-supervised feedback methodology to control and discover mass production or per-drug customized settings of interest for the manufacture of novel or extant therapeutics. This invention allows for a process to produce monodispersed particles of varying sizes and may be used to rapidly screen for optimal size for maximal bioavailability of API particles either on lab bench for in vitro dissolution or in vivo studies, and patient-specific handhelds for maximal drug inhalation.