An apparatus for controlled separation of a labware from a thermocycler. A thermal block has a slot along a lateral edge thereof. A gear rack includes a set of teeth that are linearly aligned along an upper edge thereof. A gear is positioned to engage the set of teeth such that the gear rotates with lateral movement of the gear rack. A lifting pin is associated with the gear and the lifting pin extends from a position that is offset from a central axis of the gear and toward the thermal block. The lifting pin is disposed proximate to the lateral edge of the thermal block such that, in a first position, the lifting pin is located resting in the slot, and in a second position, the lifting pin is located above the thermal block.

Disclosed are a micro-column gel card, and a sample adding mechanism and method. The micro-column gel card includes a fixing plate and a plurality of tubular columns (3) arranged and fixed through the fixing plate. The tubular columns (3) are fixed to two sides of the fixing plate respectively, and the tubular columns (3) located on the two sides of the fixing plate are arranged in a staggered manner. Each tubular column (3) includes a sample adding cavity (301), a reaction cavity (302), and a gel column (303). The gel column (303) is configured to load a gel reagent. A central axis of the sample adding cavity (301) and a central axis of the gel column (303) do not coincide. The tubular columns (3) are designed in a double-row staggered manner.

A method of registering a location of a dispenser array in relation to a microfluidic array is provided. One of the dispenser array and the microfluidic array can be movable in relation to the frame, and the other can be fixed relative to the frame. Their relative positions can be identified by a set of coordinates. Identification of a fiducial marker can occur in a manner permitting the fiducial reference to appear in a first position of a field of view of a first camera when the dispenser array or the microfluidic array is in an alignment position. Quantities related to a vector displacement from the alignment position to a fixed position on the microfluidic array or the dispenser array can be identified. Quantities determined can be used to guide positioning of the dispenser array relative to the microfluidic array.

Provided herein is generally tubular container, preferably including a plurality of reservoirs defined therein. The container can be adapted for acoustic ejection of a fluid disposed within at least one of the reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs. Alternatively, the container can be adapted for extraction of a fluid disposed within at least one of the reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs using a non-acoustic liquid handling method.

A glass element for receiving and/or conveying biological material includes a multiplicity of micro-channels, the micro-channels tapering from a bottom side of the glass element in a direction of a top side of the glass element.

Systems and methods for optical power distribution within an integrated device, in a substantially uniform manner, to a large number of sample wells and/or other photonic elements. The integrated device and related instruments and systems may be used to analyze samples in parallel. The integrated device may include a grating coupler configured to receive light from an excitation source and optically couple with multiple waveguides configured to couple with sample wells. Vertical extents of optical modes of individual waveguides may be modulated to adjust confinement of light within the waveguides. This modulation may enable more uniform distribution of excitation light to the sample wells, improve excitation efficiency, and prevent overpower on regions of the integrated device.

A microwell array chip, a use method therefor, and a detection apparatus. The microwell array chip includes a microwell array substrate, and the microwell array substrate includes n reaction chambers, and an idle region; an array of the n reaction chambers is disposed in the microwell array substrate, and the idle region is disposed around the n reaction chambers; each reaction chamber is configured to accommodate a sample to be tested, and the shape of an orthographic projection of the reaction chamber on a first reference plane where the first main surface is located is of a regular N-gon; the area of the idle region is divided into n virtual units, and the shape of the orthographic projection of each virtual unit on the first reference plane is the same as the shape of the orthographic projection of the reaction chamber on the first reference plane.

The present invention provides methods, systems, assemblies, and articles for capturing single cells with a capture chip. In certain embodiments, the capture chip comprises a substrate comprising a plurality of cell-sized dimples or wells that each allow a single cell to be captured from a cell suspension. In some embodiments, the dimples or wells of the capture chip align with the holes or wells of a multi-well through-hole chip, and/or a multi-well chip, such that the cell, or the contents of the single cell, may be transferred to a corresponding well of the multi-well chip. In particular embodiments, the bottom of each dimple or well of the capture chip has a positive electrical charge sufficient to attract cells from a cell suspension flowing over the dimples or wells.

The invention generally relates to microfluidic devices that include orthogonally positioned channels that are slidable relative to each other and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a microfluidic device that includes a first channel having an open end, and an open second channel. The first and second channels are slidable relative to each other such that when the open end of the first channel and the open portion of the open second channel are aligned with each other, fluid flows from the first channel into the second channel.

A flowcell for a sequencing instrument. The flowcell includes a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a flow channel formed between an at least partially transparent cover and a base and fluidly connecting the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, and a capture substrate provided in the flow channel. The capture substrate includes microretainers configured to each receive a single microspot having a microspot diameter, and microretainer is separated from adjacent microretainers by an interstitial gap distance that is equal to or greater than the microspot diameter. A particle separator may be fluidly connected to the flowcell. The particle separator may include a microfluidic channel having an array of micropillars to transfer a plurality of the microspots to a loading buffer that may be delivered to the flowcell.