Described herein are sample loading systems for loading a sample into a processing and/or analysis system comprising: a sample reservoir for receiving a sample and a metering volume reservoir, the sample reservoir and a first side of the metering volume reservoir being interconnected through a first channel with a first flow resistance to allow filling of the metering volume reservoir with sample; a further reservoir for receiving a second fluid interconnected with the metering volume reservoir at the first side via a second channel having a smaller second flow resistance; a first valve for blocking flow of sample from the metering volume reservoir into the second channel; a second valve connected to a second side of the metering volume reservoir for controlling the blocking and flowing of sample; and a first timing circuitry for timing the opening of the second valve as a function of filling of the further reservoir.

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.

Systems, methods, and devices for analyzing small volumes of fluidic samples, as a non-limiting example, less than twenty microliters are provided. The devices are configured to make a first sample reading, for example, measure an energy property of the fluid sample, for example, osmolality, make a second sample reading, for example, detecting the presence or concentration of one or more analytes in the fluid sample, or make both the first sample reading and the second sample reading, for example, measuring the energy property of the fluid sample as well as detecting the presence or concentration of one or more analytes in the fluid sample.

Cell separation systems, and methods for separating cells from microcarriers, and harvesting the separated cells, are provided, wherein the system comprises a cell separation device, a cell settling device, and a cell screening device.

Embodiments of the invention provide a microfluidic chip having microfluidic structures formed on a surface. The structures form an input channel, an output channel, auxiliary channels, and a hydraulic resistor structure connecting the input channel to the output channel via the auxiliary channels. The resistor structure includes N flow resistor portions (N≥2), which are connected to the auxiliary channels. The chip further includes at least N−1 actuatable valves, which are arranged in respective ones of the auxiliary channels. The actuation state of the valves can determine the effective hydraulic resistance of the resistor structure. The valves can be electrogates, each including a liquid-pinning trench arranged in a respective one of the auxiliary channels that define a flow path for a liquid introduced therein, so as to form an opening that extends across said flow path. Each electrogate can further include an electrode extending across the flow path.

Systems and methods define adjustment of the level of a flowable medium in a hollow body. The systems and methods have a tank that is suitable for filling with a flowable medium, a hollow body with one or more openings, and one or more channels that each with a channel inlet and a channel outlet. The channels are disposable such that after placing the hollow body in the filled tank, in those regions of the hollow body in which imprisoned volumes of gas are situated between the wall of the hollow body and the flowable medium, at least one respective channel inlet is situated and is connected through the one channel to a channel outlet that is situated outside the hollow body and outside the flowable medium.

The present invention discloses a microstructured discrimination device for separating hydrophobic-hydrophilic fluidic composites comprising particulate and/or fluids in a fluid flow. The discrimination is the result of surface energy gradients obtained by physically varying a textured surface and/or by varying surface chemical properties, both of which are spatially graded. Such surfaces discriminate and spatially separate particulate and/or fluids without external energy input. The device of the present invention comprises a platform having bifurcating microchannels arranged radially. The lumenal surfaces of the microchannels may have a surface energy gradient created by varying the periodicity of hierarchically arranged microstructures along a dimension. The surface energy gradient is varied in two regions. In one pre-bifurcation region the surface energy gradient generates a fluid flow. In the other post-bifurcation region, there is a difference in surface energy proximal to the bifurcation such that different flow fractions are divided into separate channels in response to different surface energy gradients in each of the post-bifurcation channels. Accordingly, fluids of different hydrophobicity and/or particulate of different hydrophobicity are driven into separate channels by a global minimization of the fluid system energy.

A passive, hydrodynamic technique implemented using a microfluidic device to perform co-encapsulation of samples in droplets and sorting of said droplets is described herein. The hydrodynamic technique utilizes laminar flows and high shear liquid-liquid interfaces at a microfluidic junction to encapsulate samples in the droplets. A sorting mechanism is implemented to separate sample droplets from empty droplets. This technique can achieve a one-one-one encapsulation efficiency of about 80% and can significantly improve the droplet sequencing and related applications in single cell genomics and proteomics.

Disclosed are a biosensing test strip (100, 200, 300, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100) and a biosensing test method. The biosensing test strip (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100) comprises: a reaction layer (120, 220, 720, 820) provided with a reaction flow channel (121, 221, 821, 920, 1020); a partition plate layer (130, 230) located above the reaction layer (120, 220, 720, 820) and covering the reaction flow channel (121, 221, 821, 920, 1020); an exhaust layer (140, 240, 540, 640) located above the partition plate layer (130, 230), with the exhaust layer (140, 240, 540, 640) being provided with an exhaust flow channel (141, 241, 550, 650); and a communication hole passing through the partition plate layer (130, 230) to enable the exhaust flow channel (141, 241, 550, 650) to be in communication with the reaction flow channel (121, 221, 821, 920, 1020).

In an example of a method for making a flow cell, a metal material is sputtered over a transparent substrate including depressions separated by interstitial regions to form a metal film having a first thickness over the interstitial regions and having a second thickness over the depressions, the second thickness being about 30 nm or less and being at least ⅓ times smaller than the first thickness. A light sensitive material is deposited over the metal film; and the metal film is used to develop the light sensitive material through the transparent substrate to define an altered light sensitive material at a first predetermined region over the transparent substrate. The altered light sensitive material is utilized to generate a functionalized layer at the first predetermined region or at a second predetermined region over the transparent substrate.