The invention describes a method for isolating one or more genetic elements encoding a gene product having a desired activity, comprising the steps of: (a) compartmentalising genetic elements into microcapsules; and (b) sorting the genetic elements which express the gene product having the desired activity; wherein at least one step is under microfluidic control. The invention enables the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids and proteins by repeated mutagenesis and iterative applications of the method of the invention.

A microfluidic device is disclosed having an enclosed chamber containing a filter for purifying biological or chemical analytes from a complex biological sample, said chamber housing a plurality of ports in addition to said filter, as follows: a first port enabling gas communication of the chamber with a vacuum generator, via a first flow path; a second port enabling liquid communication of the chamber with one or more reservoirs, via a second flow path; a third port enabling gas and liquid communication of the chamber with both one or more receiving containers and a vacuum generator, via a third flow path; and a filter located between the third port and both the first and second port, so that a fluid entering the chamber through the first and/or second port and exiting the chamber through the third port flows through the filter. The invention also relates to a method using the microfluidic device.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for separating, directing, and/or extracting a target molecule from a mix of molecules and may comprise a plurality of non-magnetic beads suspended in a ferro fluid, where the non-magnetic beads may be functionalized with at least one predetermined first molecule configured to bind with a target particle. A microfluidic device may be included which may comprise at least one microfluidic channel, the device configured to dynamically and/or statically receive an amount of the mix. Magnetic field means may be included and may be configured to apply a magnetic field to at least a portion of the at least one channel to exert an indirect force on the non-magnetic heads in the ferro fluid mix, and separate the non-magnetic beads from the ferrofluid. The beads may then be directed to at least one receptor region. At least one outlet may be provided which is arranged to be in communication with the at least one microfluidic channel, the at least one outlet may be configured to receive and extract the separated non-magnetic beads from the ferrofluid.

The present invention relates to a microfluidic analysis device (1) including: a substrate (20) wherein a separation channel (10) is arranged, in which an electrolyte flows, a portion of the separation channel (10) being covered with a polarisable surface (11); two longitudinal field electrodes (8a, 8b) arranged on either side of the separation channel (10); at least one control electrode (6a, 6b) positioned in the separation channel (10), the control electrode (6a, 6b) being suitable for polarising the polarisable surface (11) so as to control the speed of the electro-osmotic flow in the separation channel (10); the microfluidic analysis device (1) being characterised in that the polarisable surface (11) includes an insulating sub-layer (12) made of amorphous silicon carbide (SiC) and an upper polarisable layer (13) in direct contact with the electrolyte, the control electrodes (6a, 6b) being positioned between the insulating sub-layer (12) and the upper polarisable layer (13).

The disclosed subject matter provides a microdevice and techniques for single-cell gene expression profiling using a microfluidic device capable of cell-trapping, cell lysis, bead-based gene analysis. The microdevice can be capable of independent or parallelized, simultaneous quantitative genetic assays of single cells.

A chemical reactor is implemented on a substrate. The chemical reactor has multiple ducts for transporting a fluid and/or gas during use of the chemical reactor, in which the ducts optionally include pillar structures and at least one connection duct connected between two of the multiple ducts for transporting the fluid and/or gas from one duct to another. In the connection duct, a series of individual pillar structures are positioned behind each other in the longitudinal direction of the connection duct.

Methods and systems and related compositions for separating through a solid matrix a mixture comprising a nucleic acid together with a target compound having a water solubility equal to or greater than 0.01 mg per 100 mL, which can be used for managing fluid flow, biochemical reactions and purification of the nucleic acid or other target analytes.

The present disclosure provides methods and kits for generating recombinant bacteriophage genomes.

Provided herein are methods for the assembly of a polynucleic acid sequence that is at least partially carried out on a microfluidic device; methods for the preparation of a library of polynucleic acid sequences; microfluidic devices; methods for designing nucleic acid sequences; methods for planning the assembly of a polynucleic acid sequence from a plurality of nucleic acid sequences; systems comprising components for carrying out these methods; computer programs which, when run on a computer, implements these methods; and computer readable medium or carrier signals encoding such a computer program.

A sample handling device includes a reservoir for holding a fluid medium. A channel system used in connection with the reservoir includes a dilution portion for a sample to be analyzed with a measurement device. The sample is arranged to be transferred from the dilution portion to the measurement device by the fluid medium. A set of capillary channels in the dilution portion is arranged to be filled by capillary action to collect an established quantity of the sample to be diluted by the fluid medium. A pump transfers the fluid medium from the reservoir to the channel system. The pump includes at least one plunger, a seal separating the reservoir and the channel system and a delivery system of potential energy including a compressible element configured to provide repeatable transfer of the fluid medium from the reservoir to the channel system.