A spiral inertial filtration device is capable of high-throughput (1 mL/min), high-purity particle separation while concentrating recovered target particles by more than an order of magnitude. Large fractions of sample fluid are removed from a microchannel without disruption of concentrated particle streams by taking advantage of particle focusing in inertial spiral microfluidics, which is achieved by balancing inertial lift forces and Dean drag forces. To enable the calculation of channel geometries in the device for specific concentration factors, an equivalent circuit model was developed and experimentally validated. Large particle concentration factors were achieved by maintaining either average fluid velocity or Dean number throughout the entire length of the channel during the incremental removal of sample fluid. Also provided is the ability to simultaneously separate more than one particle from the same sample.

An exemplary method includes forming a sacrificial layer along sidewalls of an array of trenches that are indented into a substrate, depositing a fill layer over the sacrificial layer, and then creating an array of gaps between the fill layer and the substrate by removing the sacrificial layer along the sidewalls of the trenches, while maintaining a structural connection between the substrate and the fill layer at the floors of the trenches. The method further includes covering the substrate, the fill layer, and the gaps with a cap layer that seal fluid-tight against the substrate and the fill layer. The method further includes indenting a first reservoir and a second reservoir through the cap layer, and into the substrate and the fill layer, across the lengths of the array of gaps, so that the array of gaps connects the first reservoir in fluid communication with the second reservoir.

A biological detecting cartridge adapted to gather a detected fluid includes a collection port, a first flowing layer structure communicating with the collection port and a second flowing layer structure communicating with the first flowing layer structure. The first and the second flowing layer structures are disposed in different levels in the biological detecting cartridge. A flowing method of a detected fluid in a biological detecting cartridge is further provided.

A lab-on-chip-based system is described for the direct and multiple sampling, control of the volume, fluid filtration, biochemical reactions, sample transfer, and dried spot generation on the conventional and commercial cards for dried fluid spot. Within an all-in-one integrated holder, the invention allows the complete process required to ensure a quantitative analysis of blood, plasma or any other fluids, modification and enrichment of molecule subsets, and formation of a dried fluid spot on the specific spot location of a passive cellulose, non-cellulose, absorbent, or non-absorbent membrane material sampling.

A system and method are provided for harvesting target biological substances. The system includes a substrate and a first and second channel formed in the substrate. The channels longitudinally extending substantially parallel to each other. A series of gaps extend from the first channel to the second channel to create a fluid communication path passing between a series of columns with the columns being longitudinally separated by a predetermined separation distance. The system also includes a first source configured to selectively introduce into the first channel a first biological composition at a first channel flow rate and a second source configured to selectively introduce into the second channel a second biological composition at a second channel flow rate. The sources are configured to create a differential between the first and second channel flow rates to generate physiological shear rates along the second channel that are bounded within a predetermined range.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward devices, systems, and method for conducting nucleic acid purification and quantification using sedimentation. In one example, a method includes generating complexes which bind to a plurality of beads in a fluid sample, individual ones of the complexes comprising a nucleic acid molecule such as DNA or RNA and a labeling agent. The plurality of beads including the complexes may be transported through a density media, wherein the density media has a density lower than a density of the beads and higher than a density of the fluid sample, and wherein the transporting occurs, at least in part, by sedimentation. Signal may be detected from the labeling agents of the complexes.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for receiving blood (or other bodily fluids) from a subject, e.g., from or beneath the skin of a subject. In some cases, the blood (or other bodily fluids) may be deposited on a membrane or other substrate. For example, blood may be absorbed in a substrate, and dried in some cases to produce a dried blood spot. In one aspect, the present invention is generally directed to devices and methods for receiving blood from a subject, e.g., from the skin, using devices including a substance transfer component (which may contain, for example, one or more microneedles), and directing the blood on a substrate, e.g., for absorbing blood. The substrate, in some embodiments, may comprise filter paper or cotton-based paper. After absorption of some blood onto the substrate, the substrate may be removed from the device and shipped or analyzed. In some cases, the device itself may be shipped or analyzed. For example, in some embodiments, a portion of the device may be sealed such that the substrate is contained within an airtight portion of the device, optionally containing desiccant. Other aspects are generally directed at other devices for receiving blood (or other bodily fluids), kits involving such devices, methods of making such devices, methods of using such devices, and the like.

Provided is a diagnostic system for identifying target microorganisms and/or resistance genes in a sample, including a cell lysis unit, a target nucleic acid enriching unit, a sequencing unit, and a sequence analyzing unit, wherein the cell lysis unit is configured to lyse non-target cells in the sample, the target nucleic acid enriching unit equipped with an immobilized adsorption device is configured to deplete nucleic acids of the non-target cells and to enrich nucleic acids of the target microorganisms, and the sequencing unit and the sequence analyzing unit are configured to produce identification results of the microbial species and/or resistance genes from the sequences of the enriched nucleic acids. Also provided is a method for enriching target nucleic acids in a sample and a method for identifying target microorganisms and/or resistance genes by sequencing the enriched nucleic acids of the target microorganisms.

A mobile, self contained molecular diagnostics system is provided with a microfluidic chip, detection apparatus and an integrated or wireless control interface and imager. The system provides automated sample preparation and rapid optical detection of multianalyte nucleic acids and proteins. On chip PCR may be performed to improve the optical fluorescence signal for nucleic acid detections. Plasmonic protein detection is performed using a dark field smartphone microscope. Dark field illumination is based on an evanescent field generated by LED total internal reflection. The smartphone element may also be used as an interface to control the detection apparatus, acquire images, process data and for wireless communications with remote computers. The handheld automated system has low power requirements and is particularly suited for point of care and on demand diagnostics in resource limited settings.

This present invention relates generally to devices, systems, and methods for performing optical and electrochemical assays and, more particularly, to devices and systems having universal channel circuitry configured to perform optical and electrochemical assays, and methods of performing the optical and electrochemical assays using the universal channel circuitry. The universal channel circuitry is circuitry that has electronic switching capabilities such that any contact pin, and thus any sensor contact pad in a testing device, can be connected to one or more channels capable of taking on one or more measurement modes or configurations (e.g., an amperometric measurement mode or a current drive mode).