The present invention discloses a high-throughput and rapid nucleic acids detection method based on capillary microarrays, and belongs to the technical field of biomedicine. The method comprises the steps that firstly, microarray containing a number of hydrophilic and vertical micro-channels is fabricated by capillary assembling, casting and machining, and the outer surface of the capillary array is coated with super-hydrophobic Ultra-Ever Dry paint; secondly, different primer sets are individually loaded into the micro-channels and air-dried to adhere them on the inner surface, and then the microarray is anchored into a reaction tube; thirdly, the reaction mixture is introduced into every microchannel at once through capillary force by a special designed sample-loading adaptor, and then the amplification reaction is performed in the temperature control device; and finally, the fluorescence can either be measured continually during the reaction for real-time detection or be recorded once in the end for endpoint detection. Moreover, the products can also be recovered for other use later. The present invention is capable of achieving fast and easy-to-use monitoring of multiple nucleic acid targets simultaneously in a single reaction. The present invention could be widely applied in the field of the multiplex detection of nucleic acids and point-of-care tests (POCTs).

A system for processing a plurality of biological samples contains a support and a temperature controller. The support is configured to hold a case that includes an inner chamber and a substrate located within the inner chamber, the substrate containing a plurality of isolated reaction sites containing one or more biological samples. The temperature controller is configured to maintain or control a temperature of at least one of the support, the case, or the one or more biological samples during an assay or reaction on the one or more biological samples. The support is also configured to maintain at least one of the surfaces of substrate at a positive angle relative to a horizontal plane during the assay or reaction.

Disclosed herein are apparatuses and methods for conducting multiple simultaneous micro-volume chemical and biochemical reactions in an array format. In one embodiment, the format comprises an array of microholes in a substrate. Besides serving as an ordered array of sample chambers allowing the performance of multiple parallel reactions, the arrays can be used for reagent storage and transfer, library display, reagent synthesis, assembly of multiple identical reactions, dilution and desalting. Use of the arrays facilitates optical analysis of reactions, and allows optical analysis to be conducted in real time. Included within the invention are kits comprising a microhole apparatus and a reaction component of the method(s) to be carried out in the apparatus.

High-throughput methods for screening large populations of variant proteins are provided. The methods utilize large-scale arrays of microcapillaries, where each microcapillary comprises a solution containing a variant protein, an immobilized target molecule, and a reporter element. Immobilized target molecules may include any molecule of interest, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and other biomolecules. The association of a variant protein with a molecular target is assessed by measuring a signal from the reporter element. The contents of microcapillaries identified in the assays as containing variant proteins of interest can be isolated, and cells expressing the variant proteins of interest can be characterized. Also provided are systems for performing the disclosed screening methods.

A differentially coated device for conducting a plurality of nano-volume specified reactions, the device comprising a platen having at least one exterior surface modified to a specified physicochemical property, a plurality of nano-volume channels, each nano-volume channel having at least one interior surface in communication with the at least one exterior surface that is selectively coated with an optionally dissolvable coating agent physisorbed to at least one interior surface, wherein the optionally dissolvable coating agent comprises a coating agent and a first component for the plurality of specified reactions. Methods for preparing and using such devices are also provided, as well as a method of registering a location of a dispenser array in relation to a microfluidic array. A first one of the dispenser array and the microfluidic array is movable in relation to the frame, and the other of the first one of the dispenser array and the microfluidic array is fixed relative to the frame. Quantities related to a vector displacement from the alignment position to a fixed position on the one of the dispenser array and the microfluidic array is determined. The quantities thus determined are used to guide positioning of the dispenser array relative to the microfluidic array.

A device with integrated methods for carrying out reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and/or array based analysis involving signal generating agents (gold nanoclusters) comprising a heating and cooling cycle based synthesis selectively with DIMA and protein as templates. The advancement is further directed to a portable device adapted for RT-PCR and array based gene and protein expression analyses based on a common detection agent involving luminescence of in-situ synthesized gold nanoclusters with adaptability for user friendly graphical user interface (GUI) for controlling, visualization and analysis of the data.

Provided is a bio chip structure for a comparative experiment. The bio chip structure for a comparative experiment according to the present invention may include: a first pillar substrate including at least one first pillar where a first sample is disposed; a second pillar substrate including at least one second pillar where a second sample is disposed; and a well substrate including wells to which at least one pair of the first pillars of the first pillar substrate and the second pillar of the second pillar substrate is inserted. Accordingly, a comparative experiment to culture a different kind of samples may be conducted in an identical environment, a different kind of samples, which are the subjects of a comparative experiment, may be rapidly and accurately disposed on a plurality of pillars, and an experimental group or a control group may be easily replaced.

A method for holding samples for analysis and an apparatus thereof includes a testing plate with a pair of opposing surfaces and a plurality of holes. Each of the holes extends from one of the opposing surfaces to the other one of the opposing surfaces. The holes are arranged in groups, where each group has at least two rows and two columns of holes. The groups are arranged in sets, where each set has at least two rows and two columns of groups. To analyze samples, at least one of the opposing surfaces of the testing plate is immersed in a solution to be analyzed. A portion of the solution enters openings for each of the holes in the immersed opposing surface. Once the holes are filled with solution, the testing plate is removed and is held above a supporting surface. Surface tension holds the solution in each of the holes. The solution in one or more of the holes is then analyzed and the solution in one of these holes is identified for further study. The location of the identified solution is marked based upon its location within a particular set and group of holes.

Disclosed herein are methods, tools, pillar plates, and tool assemblies for biomolecular analysis using microarrays that reduces the likelihood of air bubbles being trapped by the microarrays. Embodiments of the tools include two clamps that have a tool mount portion and a grasping portion. The tool mount portion is configured to engage a lifting mechanism of a plate handling robot for moving a pillar plate that include microarrays. The grasping portion is configured to freely suspend the pillar plate at an inclination of a non-zero tilt angle relative to a plane normal to the tool mount portion. Embodiments of pillar plates include two protruding edges on opposite sides of the pillar plate and a plurality of pillars with one or more affixed microarrays. Embodiments of the tool assembly include the tool and the pillar plate, wherein the protruding edges are configured to engage with the gasping portions.

The invention features methods of making devices, or platens, having a high-density array of through-holes, as well as methods of cleaning and refurbishing the surfaces of the platens. The invention further features methods of making high-density arrays of chemical, biochemical, and biological compounds, having many advantages over conventional, lower-density arrays. The invention includes methods by which many physical, chemical or biological transformations can be implemented in serial or in parallel within each addressable through-hole of the devices. Additionally, the invention includes methods of analyzing the contents of the array, including assaying of physical properties of the samples.