A sensor device for use in sensing a change in a concentration of micro-organisms, comprises a waveguide interferometer having a sensing arm and a reference arm, a microfluidic channel for a fluid containing the micro-organisms, and a trapping arrangement in the microfluidic channel for physically trapping the micro-organisms when the fluid flows along the microfluidic channel so as to concentrate the micro-organisms in a sensing region of the microfluidic channel. The sensing arm is configured to guide sensing light, the reference arm is configured to guide reference light, and the waveguide interferometer is configured to interfere the sensing light with the reference light. The waveguide interferometer and the microfluidic channel are configured to allow the sensing light to interact with the fluid and the micro-organisms in the sensing region of the microfluidic channel.

Described herein are apparatuses and methods for the processing and/or measurements of chemical or biochemical samples on a digital microfluidic device. Also described are methods to configure and operate the modules for efficient processing and measurements of the samples on the device. The apparatus can be used in applications such as DNA/RNA/protein/cell concentration/purification, real-time PCR, isothermal amplification, immunoassay, cell-based assay, library preparation for NGS sequencing, etc.

Described herein is a microfluidic cartridge for purifying target particles or target cells of a predetermined size from contaminants in a sample, the cartridge comprising a first and a second planar support the first and second planar support each having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the first and/or second planar support comprises at least one embedded channel extending from one or more inlets to one or more outlets; the at least one embedded channel comprising a plurality of obstacles, wherein the microfluidic cartridge comprises at least one void space configured to be deformed when assembling the first and second planar supports into the microfluidic cartridge.

An assembly for optical preconditioning of an optically activatable biological sample comprising of cells suspended in a liquid, with a reservoir which stores the sample from which the sample are conveyed a conveying unit through a hollow channel sequentially one after the other. An illumination unit illuminates the cells contained in the sample which flow through the hollow channel at a flow rate that can be specified by the conveying unit as set by a controllable illumination intensity and illumination period and at least one of a cell analysis and sorting device in fluid communication downstream of the hollow channel.

Beads with functionalized material applied to them are exposed to an acoustic field to trap, retain or pass the beads. The beads may include or be free of ferro magnetic material. The beads may be biocompatible or biodegradable for a host. The size of the beads may vary over a range, and/or be heterogenous or homogenous. The composition of the beads may include high, neutral or low acoustic contrast material. The chemistry of the functionalized material may be compatible with existing processes. The acoustic field may be generated, for example, in an acoustic angled wave device or in an acoustic fluidized bed.

A dielectrophoretic detection device including a chip, with a flow channel having at least one inlet and one outlet, and at least a detection area configured to detect analytes trapped on functionalised beads flowing within the flow channel, first and second electrode assemblies shaped as rows of parallel pillars extending a the height of the flow channel, and configured to generate under electric tension an electric field to form an electrical barrier, and preventing the beads to cross the barrier and drawing the beads to the detection area by dielectrophoretic forces where they are clustered and concentrated. The device may be provided with multiple rows of parallel pillars of electrode assemblies extending over the height of the flow channel, forming multiple concentration lines. The flow channel may be provided with further rows of parallel pillars of electrode assemblies crossing the flow channel in a transverse direction, forming further incubation lines.

A device configured to collect a blood sample comprising a capillary means, wherein the capillary means is configured to collect and dry the blood sample and comprises an effective amount of a distributed inhibitor of phospholipase D. The device may be configured to receive, transport and collect a blood sample comprising a compartment in fluid connection with the capillary means, wherein the capillary means is configured to collect and dry the blood sample and comprises an effective amount of a distributed PLD inhibitor. The device may be a microfluidic device comprising an inlet portion, an outlet portion comprising a capillary means configured to collect and dry the blood sample, and optionally a metering function, wherein the microfluidic device comprises an effective amount of a distributed PLD inhibitor. The PLD inhibitor is distributed in a water soluble film, preferably a PVA film, or in an absorbent paper or polymer or in the capillary means. The PLD inhibitor may be selected from a salt of a transition metal belonging to column 5 or 6 of the periodic table, a salt of vanadium and a salt of tungsten, a salt comprising a vanadium oxyanion and a salt comprising a tungsten oxyanion, and/or at least one of NaVO3 (sodium metavanadate) and Na2WO4 (sodium tungstate). A method of preparing a sample for analysis of phosphatidylethanol (PEth) comprises providing a blood sample with a volume of less than 10 ml to the device; contacting the blood sample with at least one inhibitor of the enzyme phospholipase D selected from at least one of a salt of vanadium and a salt of tungsten; and admitting inhibition of phospholipase D so formation of PEth is blocked.

The present invention describes an integrated apparatus that enables identification of migratory cells directly from a specimen. The apparatus only requires a small number of cells to perform an assay and includes novel topographic features which can reliably differentiate between migratory and non-migratory cell populations in a sample. Both the spontaneous and chemotactic migration of cancer cells may be measured to distinguish between subpopulations within a tumor sample. The migratory cells identified using the apparatus and methods of the present invention may be separated and further analyzed to distinguish factors promoting metastasis within the population. Cells in the apparatus can be treated with chemotherapeutic or other agents to determine drug strategies to most strongly inhibit migration. The use of optically transparent materials in some embodiments allows a wide range of imaging techniques to be used for in situ imaging of migratory and non-migratory cells in the apparatus. The apparatus and methods of the present invention are useful for predicting the metastatic propensity of tumor cells and selecting optimal drugs for personalized therapies.

Methods for selectively adding one or more reagents are provided. In certain aspects, the methods include selectively merging one or more droplets of a plurality of droplets with one or more droplets of a plurality of reagent droplets based on detection of a property. Systems, devices and kits for practicing the subject methods are also provided. The subject disclosure may find use in a wide variety of applications, such as increasing the accuracy and/or efficiency of single-cell sequencing, detection of cancer or other diseases, monitoring disease progression, analyzing the DNA or RNA content of cells, and other applications in which it is desired to detect and/or quantify specific target cells.

The present invention generally relates to the manipulation of species using acoustic waves such as surface acoustic waves. In some aspects, a channel such as a microfluidic channel may be provided having two or more outlets, and acoustic waves applied to species within the channel to determine which outlet the species is directed to. For instance, surface acoustic waves may be applied to a species such as a cell or a particle to deflect it from the channel into a groove or other portion that directs it to a different outlet. In some cases, surprisingly, this deflection of species may be in a different direction than the incident acoustic waves on the channel. Other embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to kits including such systems, techniques for producing such systems, or the like.