Provided herein is technology relating to processing biological samples and particularly, but not exclusively, to systems and apparatuses for dissociating biological tissues into viable cells.

A liquid handling device having an axis of rotation about which the device can be rotated to drive liquid flow. The device includes a vented upstream chamber having an outlet port and an unvented chamber including an inlet port to receive liquid from the outlet port of the upstream chamber and an outlet port radially outward the inlet port. The device further includes a vented downstream chamber having an inlet port to receive liquid from the outlet port of the unvented chamber. A downstream conduit connects the outlet port of the unvented chamber to the inlet port of the downstream chamber and includes a bend radially inward of the outlet port of the unvented chamber. An upstream conduit connects the outlet port of the upstream chamber to the inlet port of the unvented chamber.

The invention describes a method for the synthesis of compounds comprising the steps of: (a) compartmentalising two or more sets of primary compounds into microcapsules; such that a proportion of the microcapsules contains two or more compounds; and (b) forming secondary compounds in the microcapsules by chemical reactions between primary compounds from different sets; wherein one or both of steps (a) and (b) is performed under microfluidic control; preferably electronic microfluidic control, The invention further allows for the identification of compounds which bind to a target component of a biochemical system or modulate the activity of the target, and which is co-compartmentalised into the microcapsules.

A microchip includes a plurality of laminated elastic sheets. Each of the elastic sheets forming a first intermediate layer as an intermediate layer formed with the plurality of elastic sheets have an inadhesive section(s) for forming a first flow path on the first intermediate layer. Each of the elastic sheets for forming a second intermediate layer as an intermediate layer formed with the plurality of elastic sheets have an inadhesive section(s) for forming a second flow path on the second intermediate layer. An elastic sheet(s) interposed between the first and second intermediate layers has a connecting section(s) connecting the first flow path and the second flow path. A flow path width at the connecting section(s) of the first flow path is narrower than a flow path width at the connecting section(s) of the second flow path.

An embodiment for a microfluidic device is provided. The device comprises two areas, arranged side-by-side, and a trigger channel. They include a first area, which is delimited by a first liquid pinning barrier, and a second area, which is delimited by a second liquid pinning barrier. The latter extends parallel to the first liquid pinning barrier to delimit a corridor. The trigger channel extends through the corridor between the two areas. In addition, the trigger channel connects the first liquid pinning barrier with the second liquid pinning barrier, allowing a first liquid pinned at the first liquid pinning barrier and a second liquid pinned at the second liquid pinning barrier to be contacted, each, by a reverse flow of the second liquid in the trigger channel and thereby start mixing at a level of the corridor, in operation. The invention is further directed to related methods of operation.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for use in transducing, activating, and otherwise treating cells. Cells are introduced into an inner layer of a multi-layered stack that defines at least one flow chamber and a plurality of cell entrainment regions. Vertical flow through the stack entrains the cells in the cell entrainment regions along with genetic information introduction agents or other additives, before the cells are washed using a reverse vertical flow and are collected from the device.

An example micro-fluidic device includes a micro-fluidic channel having an inner surface and a plurality of pillars positioned along the inner surface. The device further includes a plurality of power supplies connected to the pillars. Another example micro-fluidic device includes a micro-fluidic channel having an inner surface and a plurality of pillars positioned along the inner surface. The device further includes a power supply. The pillars are grouped into at least two groups of pillars, each group of pillars including at least two pillars, and all pillars of at least one group of pillars are connected to the power supply. In another example, a sensing system for detecting bioparticles includes a micro-fluidic device, wherein a surface of each pillar comprises functionalized plasmonic nanoparticles or functionalized SERS nanoparticles, a radiation source for radiating the micro-fluidic device, and a detector for detecting SERS signals or surface plasmon resonance.

There is provided a master for micro flow path creation, a transfer copy, and a method for producing a master for micro flow path creation by which transfer copies having an area with high hydrophilicity can be easily mass-produced, the master for micro flow path creation including: a base material; a main concave-convex portion provided on a surface of the base material and extending in a planar direction of the base material; and a fine concave-convex portion provided on a surface of the main concave-convex portion and having a narrower pitch than the main concave-convex portion. The fine concave-convex portion has an arithmetic average roughness of 10 nm to 150 nm and has a specific surface area ratio of 1.1 to 3.0.

Sample analysis systems and methods using assay surfaces, assay processing units (APUs), assay processing systems (APSs), and laboratory systems are disclosed. An assay surface includes a sample processing component comprising a plurality of regions, including at least one wash region and at least one storage region configured to hold a plurality of solid supports moveable through the regions under a magnetic force, and a detection component configured to receive the solid supports. An APU includes an assay surface receiving component, a magnetic element configured to generate a moveable magnetic field, and one or more processors configured to move the magnetic field. An APS includes one or more assay surfaces and an APU. A laboratory system includes one or more APSs and a controller for parallel processing. Sample processing and detection methods are disclosed with a reduced sample volume and/or shortened processing time and/or higher sensitivity.

Systems and methods for improved flow properties in fluidic and microfluidic systems are disclosed. The system includes a microfluidic device having a first microchannel, a fluid reservoir having a working fluid and a pressurized gas, a pump in communication with the fluid reservoir to maintain a desired pressure of the pressurized gas, and a fluid-resistance element located within a fluid path between the fluid reservoir and the first microchannel. The fluid-resistance element includes a first fluidic resistance that is substantially larger than a second fluidic resistance associated with the first microchannel.