An example device includes a microfluidic channel and a movable element retained in the microfluidic channel to move from a first position to a second position by fluid flow through the microfluidic channel. The device includes a sensor to take a sensor reading to determine fluid flow through the microfluidic channel. The device includes a microfluidic pump to return the movable element from the second position to the first position. The device includes a controller to actuate the microfluidic pump and to determine a flow rate of the fluid flow through the microfluidic channel based on the sensor reading.

The current invention relates to the method and apparatus to magnetically separate biological entities with magnetic labels from a fluid sample. The claimed magnetic separation device removes biological entities with magnetic labels from its fluidic solution by using a soft-magnetic center pole with two soft-magnetic side poles. The claimed device further includes processes to dissociate entities conglomerate after magnetic separation.

A sensing device includes a sample loading chamber configured to receive a sample, a detection antibody drying or lyophilization chamber configured to receive a first portion of the sample, one or more substrate drying or lyophilization chambers configured to receive a second portion of the sample, and one or more reaction chambers connected to the detection antibody drying or lyophilization chamber and the one or more substrate drying or lyophilization chambers. The detection antibody drying or lyophilization chamber and one or more substrate drying or lyophilization chambers are placed in parallel between the sample loading chamber and the one or more reaction chambers.

A blood clotting time measurement cartridge includes: an inlet on one end of a measurement flow channel and through which blood is introduced; a communication opening on the other end of the measurement flow channel and through which air suction or air pressure application or the blood introduced from the inlet is performed; a moving body arranged in the measurement flow channel moves; a clotting accelerator applied on at least one of a flow channel wall surface, which defines the measurement flow channel, and the moving body; and a detection area through which light is transmitted to a predetermined part in the measurement flow channel, and where it is possible to detect with light whether there is the moving body or the blood making a reciprocating motion in the measurement flow channel in association with air suction or air pressure application or the blood from the communication opening.

A test container includes a container main body including a first-accommodation-portion, a second-accommodation-portion, and a third-accommodation-portion each accommodating a liquid and internally provided, a first flow path connecting the first-accommodation-portion and the second-accommodation-portion to each other at respective upper end positions thereof and internally provided, and a second flow path connecting the second-accommodation-portion and the third-accommodation-portion to each other at respective upper end positions thereof and internally provided, in which at least a portion forming an upper wall surface of the second-accommodation-portion has flexibility to be deformable inwards of the second-accommodation-portion; and a liquid return prevention structure which prevents a backflow of the liquid to the first-accommodation-portion, when the liquid accommodated in the second-accommodation-portion is fed to the third-accommodation-portion via the second flow path due to deformation of the portion forming the upper wall surface of the second-accommodation-portion inwards of the second-accommodation-portion.

The present invention relates to a method of using a microfluidic chip comprising introducing a gas into the microfluidic chip to replace the liquid that has been introduced into the microfluidic chip and forming a micro-reaction chamber in the form of a liquid-in-gas in the microfluidic chip. The present invention also relates to a method for obtaining assay data, a computer program product embodied in a computer-readable medium and a kit. The methods described in the present invention are easy to operate, low cost, versatile, enabling rapid exchange of fluids, achieving efficient separation and capture of single particles with high purity. In addition, the methods can avoid clogging the chip and facilitate recycling.

A peristaltic pump-based apparatus for capturing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood is provided that includes a feedback control architecture that uses models of pump operation and measures of internal pressure fluctuations of the pump (e.g., in the form time-varying and/or position-dependent pressure oscillation data) to adjust pump operating characteristics that smooth pump operation, thereby improving viscosity and consistency of fluid flowing through the pump to a connected microfluidic capture device.

A microfluidic device comprising: an inlet section, for receiving a body fluid sample, the inlet section comprising an inlet port arranged to receive a supply of body fluid; a metering function configured to receive body fluid from the inlet section and comprising a first channel; and a sequent section configured to receive the body fluid from the metering function and comprising a second channel, wherein the first channel comprises a capillary stop valve configured to interrupt or reduce flow of the body fluid therethrough, and a means for visual inspection arranged adjacent to the capillary stop valve, wherein a geometry and/or dimension of the inlet port is configured such that when the supply of body fluid to the inlet port is removed, the Laplace pressure of a body fluid meniscus at the inlet port is higher than a threshold pressure of the capillary stop valve.

A perfusion manifold assembly is described that allows for perfusion of a microfluidic device, such as an organ on a chip microfluidic device comprising cells that mimic cells in an organ in the body, that is detachably linked with said assembly so that fluid enters ports of the microfluidic device from a fluid reservoir, optionally without tubing, at a controllable flow rate.

A culture module is contemplated that allows the perfusion and optionally mechanical actuation of one or more microfluidic devices, such as organ-on-a-chip microfluidic devices comprising cells that mimic at least one function of an organ in the body.

Magnetic-based actuation mechanisms for and methods of actuating magnetically-responsive microposts in a reaction (or assay) chamber is disclosed. For example, a microfluidics system is provided that includes a microfluidics device (or cartridge) that includes the reaction (or assay) chamber in which a field of magnetically-responsive surface-attached microposts is installed. The presently disclosed magnetic-based actuation mechanisms are provided in close proximity to the magnetically-responsive microposts wherein the magnetic-based actuation mechanisms are used for actuating the magnetically-responsive microposts. For example, the magnetic-based actuation mechanisms generate an actuation force that is used to induce, for example, synchronized beat patterns and/or metachronal beat patterns in the magnetically-responsive microposts. Additionally, a method of using the presently disclosed magnetic-based actuation mechanisms for actuating the magnetically-responsive microposts is provided.