A method for detecting, sorting, purifying and characterizing objects of interest in a liquid sample. The method comprises preparing, in a preparation module ON) of a microfluidic router system, the liquid sample for processing. Preparing comprises transporting the sample through a microfluidic channel, and forwarding the prepared sample from an outlet of the preparation module into an inlet of a routing module. Forwarding comprises coupling a microfluidic flow between the outlet and the inlet to passively buffer against or actively compensate for variations in a flow rate of the prepared sample at the outlet, and diverting the objects of interest from the microfluidic flow. Forwarding the sample comprises sensing a flow characteristic of the sample in preparation, routing module, or in flow connection, and controlling a flow control element taking the sensed characteristic into account to compensate for a variation in the flow rate by a closed-loop flow control.

The present invention provides a cartridge, a detection method, and a detection device capable of stabilizing the liquid level of a sample accommodated in a chamber in a predetermined state. A cartridge 20, that is rotated around a rotating shaft 42 for detecting a target substance, is provided with a chamber 100 in which a sample containing a target substance is stored. The chamber 100 includes a first region 110 in which a sample is stored, a second region 120 disposed at a position closer to the rotating shaft 42 than the first region 110, and a protrusion 130 protruding from a position between the first region 110 and the second region 120 to the inner side of the chamber 100.

A three dimensional (3D) microfluidic cartridge suitable for reproduction of cells in the 3D microfluidic cartridge and for observing an angiogenesis process is provided. The 3D microfluidic cartridge includes a side area, wherein a height of the side area is greater than a height of central area. With the 3D microfluidic cartridge, a 3D cell culture is carried out, tumor spheroids are formed in the 3D microfluidic cartridge, and angiogenesis potentials of the tumor spheroids are measured. Further, responses of endothelial cells against angiogenic or antiangiogenic effects of various small molecules, drugs, and protein therapeutics are measured in the 3D microfluidic cartridge.

A microfluidic product utilizing gradient surface energy coatings for fluid control comprising a plurality of fluid passages wherein at least one fluid passage comprises a coating configured to control liquid flow wherein the coating configured to control liquid flow comprises a gradient surface energy coating from a proximal location to a distal location on a surface of the fluid passage. The product can include uniform regions and surface gradient regions in the same passage. Coating compositions and product dimensions can be selected to provide control over different flow properties including fluid velocity, reduction and acceleration of fluid flow, and starting and stopping fluid flow.

A disposable cartridge for mitigating cross-contamination of fluid sample reagents. The disposable cartridge includes a cartridge body defining a syringe barrel having an barrel port operative to inject and withdraw assay fluids in response to the displacement of a syringe plunger. Furthermore, the disposable cartridge includes a rotor defining a plurality of assay chambers in fluid communication with the barrel port through one of a plurality of rotor ports disposed about the periphery of the rotor. Finally, the disposable cartridge includes a flow control system between the barrel and rotor ports which prevents cross-contamination of fluid sample reagents from one assay chamber to another assay chamber.

Various systems, methods, and devices are provided for focusing particles suspended within a moving fluid into one or more localized stream lines. The system can include a substrate and at least one channel provided on the substrate having an inlet and an outlet. The system can further include a fluid moving along the channel in a laminar flow having suspended particles and a pumping element driving the laminar flow of the fluid. The fluid, the channel, and the pumping element can be configured to cause inertial forces to act on the particles and to focus the particles into one or more stream lines.

A microfluidic device for detection of an analyte in a fluid is described. The microfluidic device comprises a substrate having a first surface defining entrances to one or more chambers defined in the substrate, surfaces of the chambers defining a second surface of the substrate, the first surface being modified for selective targeting and capture of at least one analyte to operably effect a blocking of the entrance to at least one of the chambers, and wherein a response characteristic of the microfluidic device is operably varied by the blocking of the entrance to the at least one of the chambers, thereby providing an indication of the presence of the analyte within the fluid.

Microscale and/or mesoscale condenser arrays that can facilitate microfluidic separation and/or purification of mesoscale and/or nanoscale particles and methods of operation are described herein. An apparatus comprises a condenser array comprising pillars arranged in a plurality of columns, wherein a pillar gap greater than or equal to about 0.5 micrometers is located between a first pillar of the pillars in a first column of the columns and a second pillar of the plurality of pillars in the first column, and wherein the first pillar is adjacent to the second pillar. The first ratio can be characterized by D.sub.x/D.sub.y is less than or equal to a first defined value, wherein D.sub.x represents a first distance across the lattice in a first direction, wherein D.sub.y represents a second distance across the lattice in a second direction, and wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.

The present invention relates to a microfluidic system (10, 20) comprising: a sample reservoir (110, 210); a first sample channel (120, 220) connected to the sample reservoir (110, 210), branching off into a second sample channel (122, 222) ending in a first valve (130, 230), and into a third sample channel (124, 224) which branches off into a fourth sample channel (126, 226) ending in a second valve (132, 232), and into a fifth sample channel (128, 228) ending in a third valve (134, 234); a buffer reservoir (140, 240); a first trigger channel (150, 250) arranged to connect the buffer reservoir (140, 240) to the second valve (132, 232); a second trigger channel (152, 252) connecting the second valve (132, 232) and the first valve (130, 230); and an exit channel (154, 254) connected to the first valve (130, 230).

Modular active surface devices for microfluidic systems and methods of making same is disclosed. In one example, the modular active surface device includes an active surface layer mounted atop an active surface substrate, a mask mounted atop the active surface layer wherein the mask defines the area, height, and volume of the reaction chamber, and a substrate mounted atop the mask wherein the substrate provides the facing surface to the active surface layer. In other examples, both facing surfaces of the reaction chamber include active surface layers. Further, the modular active surface device can include other layers, such as, but not limited to, adhesive layers, stiffening layers for facilitating handling, and peel-off sealing layers. Further, a large-scale manufacturing method is provided of mass-producing the modular active surface devices. Further, a method is provided of using a plasma bonding process to bond the active surface layer to the active surface substrate.