The present invention relates to a surfactant-stabilized fluid interface, comprising a layer of surfactant and a first compound containing a hydrophobic part covalently linked to a molecular recognition site, wherein the surfactant-stabilized fluid interface has a first fluid on one side and a second fluid on the other side, wherein the surfactant stabilizes the fluid interface, wherein the hydrophobic part of the first compound is interacting with the layer of surfactant by secondary non-covalent interactions and the molecular recognition site of the first compound extends from the layer of surfactant, and wherein the surfactant is a block-copolymer having at least one hydrophilic block and at least one hydrophobic block. The present invention further relates to a dispersion comprising one or more droplets having a surfactant stabilized fluid interface.

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a pH control device. The device comprises a substrate, on which is defined a flow path adapted to receive a liquid. The device further comprises a set of electrodes, which includes a pH sensing electrode and pH generation electrodes. The electrodes are arranged along the flow path. The pH sensing electrode is arranged so as to be subjected to a change in pH of a portion of the liquid on the flow path, as caused by the pH generation electrodes. In addition, the device includes a controller, which is configured to apply a voltage across the pH generation electrodes, based on a signal obtained via the pH sensing electrode and a reference electrode. This enables local control a pH of the liquid portion. The device may further be embodied as a sensor, additionally comprising a detection electrode.

The present invention relates to microfluidic fluidic systems and methods for the in vitro modeling diseases of the lung and small airway. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a system for testing responses of a microfluidic Small Airway-on-Chip infected with one or more infectious agents (e.g. respiratory viruses) as a model of respiratory disease exacerbation (e.g. asthma exacerbation). In one embodiment, this disease model on a microfluidic chip allows for a) the testing of anti-inflammatory and/or anti-viral compounds introduced into the system, as well as b) the monitoring of the participation, recruitment and/or movement of immune cells, including the transmigration of cells. In particular, this system provides, in one embodiment, an in-vitro platform for modeling severe asthma as “Severe Asthma-on-Chip.” In some embodiments, this invention provides a model of viral-induced asthma in humans for use in identifying potentially effective treatments.

A flow channel device includes a first storage part that stores liquid, a first flow channel through which liquid in the first storage part passes, and a second flow channel through which liquid passes to the first storage part, in which a thickness of the first flow channel is smaller than a thickness of the second flow channel.

Systems and methods for transfection using a microfluidic device are disclosed. Microdroplets encapsulate cells, transfection molecules, and cationic lipid transfection reagent. Droplet chaotic advection in a rendering channel of the system results in a uniform lipid-DNA complex (lipoplex) formation, which can improve gene delivery efficacy. The shear stress exerted on cell membranes during the chaotic mixing increases membrane permeability, which when combined with the co-confinement of cell and lipoplex, improves transfection efficiency of the cell. The systems and methods can be used for a variety of applications such as gene therapy, in vitro fertilization, regenerative medicine, cancer treatment, and vaccines.

A microchannel device, including a homogenization chamber, a deceleration-cooling channel, an acidity regulation channel, a microchannel reaction chamber, and an ultrafiltration desalination chamber. A method for preparing high-oil-load microcapsules using the aforementioned microchannel device, including: preparing an aqueous phase and an oil phase; feeding the aqueous phase and the oil phase to the homogenization chamber to form a first emulsion; cooling the first emulsion; adjusting pH of the first emulsion with dilute hydrochloric acid; feeding the first emulsion to the microchannel reaction chamber to form a second emulsion with a core-shell structure; removing Na.sup.+ and Cl.sup.− from the second emulsion; and subjecting the second emulsion to spray drying to obtain the high-oil-load microcapsule powder.

A device and/or methodology are described that include a mechanism for separating erythrocytes from other constituents of blood and for purifying leukocytes from blood. The separation and purification aspects may be provided in separate components or within the same component. The separation aspect assists in separating erythrocytes (red blood cells) from other cells in blood, such as by aggregation of the red blood cells. A suitable aggregation device or device component uses chambers with at least one small dimension (e.g., a microfluidic chip) to control the interaction of the blood with a solution containing a high molecular weight polymer (e.g., dextran) to achieve separation.

Devices, systems, and their methods of use, for generating droplets are provided. The devices, systems, and methods may include transporting a first liquid through an outlet of a channel and causing relative motion of the outlet and an interface of a second liquid to produce droplets of the first liquid in the second liquid. The devices, systems, and methods may also include illuminating a portion of the liquid as the liquid exits from an outlet. The invention also provides methods, devices, and systems for changing the size of a droplet and for eliminating a droplet from a plurality of droplets.

Provided is a separating apparatus including separating unit configured to apply external force to a fluid sample containing two or more components immiscible with each other and having different specific gravities to separate the fluid sample into separation target and non-separation target, and a transfer mechanism configured to apply a pressure to the separation target separated by the separating unit to transfer the separation target.

Methods and apparatus for manufacturing and operating a microfluidic arrangement are disclosed. In one arrangement, a continuous body of a first liquid is provided in direct contact with a first substrate. A second liquid is provided in direct contact with the continuous body of first liquid and covering the continuous body of first liquid, the second liquid being immiscible with the first liquid. A separation fluid, immiscible with the first liquid, is propelled through at least the first liquid and into contact with the first substrate over all of a selected region on the surface of the first substrate, thereby displacing first liquid that was initially in contact with the selected region away from the selected region without any solid member contacting the selected region directly and without any solid member contacting the selected region via a globule of liquid held at a tip of the solid member, the selected region being such that one or more walls of second liquid are formed that modify a shape of the continuous body of first liquid.